A Matter Of Trust
by DragonXKS
Summary: SONADOW! Sonic&Shadow have both been captured by the malicious commander of GUN, and now their companions are left to do what seems to be impossible: save them. But with time,and their former friends,against them, they are forced to turn toward a new ally
1. Chapter 1 — Blazing Fire

Ok now, I've been give the privilege to post and write/finish the story started by Az-The-Dragon and Nameless Moonshine, they started it and then lost interest with it and passed it on to me.

Tell me what you guys think, I want to hear it all!

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Chapter One - Blazing Fire

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It was quiet...

Sonic was never a fan of silence; it seemed to weigh down on things, to suffocate the living things to which noise is natural. The nights should have been getting colder, and with the cold, there should've been more bustle in the streets. The recent warm temperatures had disturbed him slightly, and the hero had become restless over the course of the falling darkness.

His shoes made a light pattering noise on the concrete sidewalk, the only sound reaching his ears in the still air. Most of his favorite places were closed at this time of night, so he couldn't stop for any much-wanted nighttime snacking. A rip off if he'd ever experienced one.

A loud explosion, coming from somewhere behind and to his right lost him his concentration on breaking the sound barrier for sheer feel of doing something, causing him to stumble; he caught himself just barely and pivoted back to his feet in a single movement.

"...the hell?!" In a second his destination had been changed and his feet were directed toward a plume of light gray smoke.

The area where the explosion had taken place was an old part of the city, with buildings that were labeled dangerous to collapse at any moment; there was a shriek of victory as what, or better, who had caused it was preparing to leave the place.

Thick, orange flames were eating one of the lowest buildings, this particular one having once been a factory of major importance to the community. As the smoke rose into the sky, something in it, as faint as a shadow in the deepest blackness flew away from the site, leaving the flames do what it was supposed to do itself.

Sonic swerved his last turn easily, sliding a short distance before bolting forward into the dark alleys between him and the smoke. Suddenly, realizing that the path he'd taken was cut off by a dead-end alleyway, a final building standing between him and the smoke's source, Sonic skidded to a dusty stop. The particles of dirt in the air surprised him, and he knelt to inspect the road beneath him.

The concrete was crumbling away, meaning he was indeed in one of the many abandoned sites of the city. He grinned and backed up, ready to try a stunt he'd hesitated using here, thinking these buildings could be someone's home. Now that he was sure they were not, he sped his feet up and dashed up the side of the structure; what little glass left in the windows exploding outward behind him.

The building couldn't take anymore offense from the savage fire and started to slowly collapse.

Someone might have sighed with relief on seeing that it was only one of the old factories in disuse, but if someone had been there before the fire started, he would have seen a small black shape try to take refuge into it from whatever was pursuing it with deadly intention.

Fire.

"Oh, THIS is just wonderful." Sonic groaned out through clenched teeth. These places always seemed to have horrid accidents. He could probably just leave it here to burn, but for all he knew it wasn't an isolated event. There could be an arsonist anywhere, or somehow the fire could travel onward into the major parts of town. Either way, it had to go.

He was about to turn away and warn the fire department, since he hated fire almost as much as water, but a small movement caught his attention out of the corner of his eye.

Someone trapped in the blaze?

The arsonist himself perhaps, and as justified as it would have been, Sonic couldn't let someone burn alive. Not without a trial anyway....

He searched the roof for a second, before finding a handy sheet of metal. Placing it halfway off the edge, he took a stance on it and shoved away, skidding down the side of the building with a rush of frictional air and sparks.

Like if it was alive, the fire grew in intensity and hotness thanks to whatever the old building contained in its walls; it was almost like if the fire had a will to keep whoever tried to take its victim away from it as the smoke started to envelop the area like a malevolent mist that wanted to conceal the tragedy that was slowly consuming in its heart.

There was a loud cough as the person slowly collapsed, trying hard to not loose the fight and thus loose his life in the process. As much as he tried, however, the fire was too strong, and the figure just remained in a heap of meat that was slowly getting cooked.

Sonic leapt away from his metal ride seconds before it connected with the ground, tucking and rolling before he met with the hard-packed soil himself, jarring at impact. He uncurled and stood to gaze up at the towering wall of flames; realizing that not only did he have no cover to get in there and pull whoever it was out, it had spread too far to give him room to run up the side of the building he come down, plus it blocked any other escape routes.

'I KNEW I should've let him burn.' Sonic sighed inwardly and inhaled deeply, screaming at himself for the crazy act he was about to commit.

'I'm crazy. I've gone insane. Been hanging around Mr. Honorable Knucklehead for FAR too long.....but...here goes nothing!'

And with that, he dove into the barrier of flames, hating his good intentions.

The fire wasn't going to give its prey away that easily and it started to eat at the old columns that supported the roof; unfortunately for the angry element, the columns were pretty big and hard to eat away. So, meanwhile it was somewhat focused on them, the fire set up a large curtain of flames around its meal, in a last effort to temporize and have two meals instead of one.

Sonic shuddered in the heat, his fur singed and his senses distorted by the stifling heat. He fell to his knees, eyes blurred and head aching, but pressed himself forward and forced his legs back under him, struggling to see clearly. He couldn't risk running, for fear of missing the victim in the fires. When he found whoever this person was, then and only then, he could get out of here.

What made him turn, he wasn't sure, but he did so, his eyes meeting with a dark shape amidst the flames.

Debris? Or the person in danger?

Not wanting to take any chances, and lose a life or two in the process, he pushed forward and his hand took hold.

The black shape vaguely resembled a hedgehog, but since his quill were all black and gray from the ashes and extremely messy, it was impossible to recognize him.

As a last attempt to fight back the oncoming death, the person twitched before unconsciously coughing up blood.

Yep, definitively the victim.

Sonic wrapper his arms around the limp form, wincing at the contact of burnt flesh with his own fur. The heat radiating off the lifeless mass of fire fodder was unbearable, but Sonic could see the building from here, so, without much more thought, he cradled the figure close and motored his legs straight for his best bet out of this.

-----

What he felt, was just being lifted from the hard ground, being cradled in the arm of someone and then shoot away from the fire at an impressive speed; he was just able to formulate the beginning of a thought of who could be, that he fell back into uneasy consciousness.

-----

Sonic tore out of the fire, incredibly pleased with himself, and up the building's side, grinning in victory as the roaring of the fire was replaced by his own two feet moving rapidly beneath him and the ragged breathing of the half-dead creature in his grasp.

Which brought him back to his current situation: what to do with this... whoever and whatever he or she was. Obviously they were injured, but they were probably also whoever got that nice little blaze started back there.

Roasty, toasty pudding pie and melted marshmallows, though he doubted that the fire had been started for s'mores.

He paused as soon as he reached the opposite side for the building, putting enough space between him and the fire for the moment he felt, and laid the limp creature on the ground before him, brushing at some of the ash and burnt fur, trying to see the extent of the wounds.

The creature coughed up blood again, smearing his muzzle with the red essence; his eyes twitched a little, as if he wanted to get back to reality and just run away from the city to get a hideout in the most receding place of earth and wait till he was fine again, or better, till the Thing was wiped out of the face of the planet.

Sonic wiped the blood away with his glove and peered closer, trying to place the familiarity of the injured form in his current care. He shook it's shoulder as gently as possible, trying to see if he could wake them up. Maybe just get they to say something, or see their eyes, so he could tell who they were.

The chances of him knowing this person were... insanely slim, but he felt something, like deja vu...

The creature was surely a male hedgehog, but his quills and facial features were too deformed from burns, ashes and all to understand who he was. And neither the careful shaking helped as the creature just kept staying in unconsciousness.

Sonic gave a frustrated sigh before gathering the prone figure back up, and making his way back home, planning on calling the fire department when he got there. The thought struck that he should drop this hedgehog off at the local hospital, he needed the attention, but Sonic felt... compelled, almost, to take whoever this was home with him.

'Listen to me, I sound like a little kid. I'll prance up to Tails with this guy and say 'Can I keep him?'.' He rolled his eyes, and unconsciously clutched the injured hedgehog a little closer.

The badly burnt male cuddled up a little in the gentle warm as the wind added cold and more pain on his already battered body; there was another cough, more blood that splattered on the unconscious hedgehog and a pain filled moan.

It was like he was pleading for someone to put him out of his misery with a quick kill.

Sonic looked down at the complaining, unconscious hedgehog with profound concern, but didn't stop until he had reached his hoped to be final destination for the night. A piece of paper on the wooden frame caught his attention as he fumbled with unlocking the door and holding up the hedgehog.

When the click sounded, he shifted the suffering furry into a more comfortable position for them both, and eased inside. The couch was far nearer to the entrance than the bedroom, so Sonic settled for that. Plus there was the fact that the couch was more comfortable than his own hammock, and Tails' cot was off in the workshop buried under gadgets.

The sapphire hedgehog deposited his load onto the sofa as gently as possible and returned to the door, tearing off the note, kicking it closed and turning on his heel to move toward the closest phone and meal, both in the kitchen, as he read.

The note had been written by Tails, and it said that the vulpine would come back in two hours, max three, and that he was out to test a device for planes during night time flies.

Sonic grimaced and crumpled the paper slightly in his fist. So, he couldn't rely on Tails' superior knowledge when it came to wounds, the kit having learned well from when Sonic had stumbled into the workshop from some of his more treacherous 'saving the world' exploits.

He could always call Knuckles, but the echidna would demand a favor in return, most likely something utterly demeaning, and it would take him at least a day to arrive, the Island having floated to practically the other side of the world at this time of year.

Luckily, Sonic still had that First Aid manual and kit, which both Tails and Knuckles had blackmailed, threatened, and practically broken bones to get him to buy. He retrieved it from the top shelf above the fridge and, in an act most honorable he thought, decided to forgot his meal and grabbed the cordless, dialing the fire department.

As it rang, he plopped down in front of his self-appointed change and began flipping through the thick book, searching for the section on burns.

Meanwhile Sonic was concentrated on the book and the phone, the hedgehog laying on the couch coughed up blood once more; it seemed that he had sustained more damage that an arson could do...

The creature twitched and tried to roll over on his side in an attempt to breath better as his own blood was partially suffocating him.

Sonic finally hung up on ring number twelve, his ears picking up the faint ring of sirens in the distance. Guessing that someone else had already reported the fire, he scooted closer to the couch, and, laying the book on the floor nearby, began to follow the instructions in it, starting first with gently, and cautiously, moving the hedgehog more onto his side then he had already shifted, and making sure he didn't curl into a ball and hurt himself.

His gloves were quickly stained with blood, and in the end, he discarded them. Soon he sat back, feeling somewhat relieved and proud, since the injured hedgehog seemed to be breathing much easier, and didn't look quite as pained to him.

As his body felt that it was in a better position to survive, it relaxed and started breathing somewhat normally albeit the occasional cough to free his lungs from the blood. Unfortunately, however, the mysterious hedgehog was far from safety as some large cuts were almost everywhere on his torso, arms and legs.

It seemed like the poor guy went through hell itself, and not just because of that intense fire...

He winced sympathetically as he examined the various incisions crisscrossing the torso of his current patient. Hurriedly checking the content table, he flipped to the correct chapter and dug through the kit to bring out the necessary equipment, such and antiseptic. He knew the devilish stuff far too well, and looked to his charge with pity, before gently bracing him as he got the cloth ready.

"This'll sting..." He warned, though he was rather sure the other couldn't hear him.

Pressing the cloth down onto one of the more prominent gashes, one lining across his chest, he began the difficult task of cleaning the ash and filth from it, as well as dead, burnt fur and skin.

As the cloth passed several time over his chest, slowly but surely a small patch of white fur started to appear. As much as the body that owned it was full of wounds, the white patch was miraculously untouched.

Sonic smiled as some of the fur began to show through the gunk his charge had been covered in. He was a rather quiet patient, much better than Sonic himself, the hero knew. But as he moved onward, through the cloth cleaning and revealing, Sonic started noticing that most of the fur left on the injured body was pitch black, despite the white tuft on his chest.

Moving away from the chest, Sonic traveled to the closest arm, steadily unearthing a brilliant splash of red across the black. By the time he had finished the arm, he was looking at a slashed midnight black limb, streaked with blood red.

'Either he was white or red and got burned this way, or he's got a serious affinity for depressing looks...' Sonic mused, trying to pull the other arm out and away from the shielding torso.

The arm was carefully pried away from underneath the hedgehog's torso, and once into the hands of the other, it's own twitched once or twice, almost as if he was trying to get a sense of what, or who, was moving him around albeit he was plainly unconscious.

Sonic took the hand in his own now bare one, pulling it gingerly out so that he could clean it, finding it to match the other. Placing it back where it hand come from, he finished up with what was left of the cuts and brought out a roll of soft gauze, wrapping it around his patient's outside limbs first, but coming to a halt at the chest, unsure of how to go about dressing the wounds without moving the injured hedgehog and making him uncomfortable.

Feeling that the one that was taking care of him stopped, his body relaxed and tried to move around in search of a better position than the current one.

He felt a little more relieved that the hedgehog was moving himself, and began to use slight nudges and such with his free hand to get the battered body to move how he needed it to so as to get the gauze all around his chest, tight, but not so tight as to cut off his charge's breathing. Finally finished, he placed his supplies back into their place.

With an exhausted sigh, he slumped against the couch, resolving to never become a nurse or doctor of any kind, ever. He cast a tired glance upward to the still sleeping hedgehog, and grumbled softly to himself. With a plan to remain awake until Tails returned from his errand, Sonic never realized he was falling asleep until he was too deep in a dreamless state to rouse himself out of it.

----

When the black hedgehog opened his eyes, even if barely, he saw a total different surroundings than the one provided by the old factory in flames; the first tough was that he was dead and maybe in heaven, but when he found that his body was covered in bandages and that it hurt like hell, he shoved it away.

Unable to move much, he settled on spying the new room with only his eyes, and caught the sight of a blue hedgehog dozing on the couch at his feet.

Sonic gave a sigh in his slumber, head lolling slightly towards the couch, and his unnoticed watcher. He shifted and for a moment was still, before sliding away from the couch and colliding with the floor, a faint 'thunk' resounding. Instead of awaking however, Sonic rolled over to sleep on his chest, face still toward the couch, and breathing steady.

The black hedgehog watched the other sleeping, and with a mental consent, he drifted back into unconsciousness, grateful to feel less pain than before. The last thing that he noticed was a faint click and a door that was opened.

----

He growled softly as he was shaken awake, his name urgently repeated as his annoyance demanded he rise. Sonic's eyes blearily opened, and he rubbed at them, glaring up toward his newfound enemy, but instead finding his best friend.

"Finally. You sleep like a rock." The kit stated, as-a-matter-of-fact. Sonic was on his feet almost at once, blurting out the entire story to the small fox, slightly deranged due to the fact that he was still tired, and hadn't tended to his own burns yet. It took the young vulpine a good while to calm his best friend down, and get the entire story.

During Sonic's telling, Tails' busied himself mussing over the injuries Sonic had gotten and forgotten to dress, and the straightening out of the bandages, as well as an added in question here or there to make sure he'd cleaned the wounds as well as possible.

The black hedgehog opened his eyes by a crack as he heard a pair of voices talk near his resting place; he felt so drained of energies that the only task of staying awake was almost impossible; but he was too stubborn to fall back asleep and slowly and quietly glanced at the two people next to him.

"So, you're sure he was the only one in there?"

"The only one I saw, and if I'd stayed any longer, I'd had been served in the bucket with those extra crispy chicken wings you're so fond of." Sonic felt overly grouchy, having been woken up like he was, and pretty much ordered to not go back to sleep until he had been fully inspected and treated.

And even know Tails' had told him that he probably would have to stay up a while longer.

"I only came back to grab a few more supplies, but I have to head right back to the base." The small fox gave a dejected sigh. "They need to pay me more for these late night fixes. I mean, what are they up against?" He ran a gloved hand through his tuff of hair on his forehead and muttered. "This whole world is beyond paranoid."

Not wanting to interact with the two creatures near him, the black hedgehog just limited himself on looking at the blue one, which was almost his look alike.

Sonic complained a little along with his friend, and walked the kit to the door, making him promise to demand higher pay and better hours, as well as to get some sleep. Let alone again, Sonic cast a weary glance toward the sofa, not able to make out much more than the white bandages on the hedgehog there, and held his head.

"Well," He mumbled, "I might as well stand guard on a full stomach." He walked briskly into the kitchen, snatching up the phone as he went, but deciding to leave the kit and manual in case of something, anything happening.

The smell of food coming from the kitchen set the black hedgehog's stomach in motion and he vaguely remembered that the last time he had set food under his teeth was more or less than two days ago. In an effort to reach the food, the injured creature rolled on his belly and tried to push himself up, but ended only in coughing up more blood.

It appeared that his lungs had suffered quite a damage from the last swing from his enemy, and he cursed himself for not being able to move out of the way in time.

Sonic was back in the living room the second the coughing reached his ears, a sandwich and a glass of water in hand; water only because he had discovered they were out of soda. He saw the hedgehog trying to stand, or at least sit up, and the blood he was hacking up and bolted for him, setting the food aside and helping him to sit upright.

"What the hell were you THINKING?!"

With the help of the blue hedgehog, the black creature managed to sit up albeit his discomfort on breathing; with hungry eyes he gazed at the glass of water, but even before he could raise a hand to get it he started coughing again the once again pooling blood in his lungs.

However, he noticed that the quantity of blood coughed up was not that big, so from this he guessed that the internal wound was already healing or that it was rather small.

Flinching at the haggard coughing fit, the sapphire hero set the wounded creature against the couch back, sitting up so he could breathe properly, looking him over in concern. Noticing the hedgehog wasn't looking at him, Sonic's gaze followed that of the hedgehog in his care, and blinked when he realized what he was looking at.

The water sitting on the table nearby...

'Of course.' Sonic could've kicked himself. 'I'd be thirsty too if I was almost cooked alive.'

The black hedgehog tried again to reach the glass of water, but the fact that he was almost unable to stir prevented him from moving even a hand. To say that his body seemed to weigh a ton was saying little; not to say that if he even moved he was going to have another coughing fit with consequential blood spilling.

Sonic sighed and placed a hand against the hedgehog's shoulder, and, with a short command of 'stay', left him just long enough to grasp the glass of clear liquid and bring it close the hedgehog, letting him see it. Though he was fairly sure that was what the injured furry had been trying to get a hold of, Sonic wanted to be certain before he handed him something he didn't want.

The black one nodded slowly and then shakily managed to raise his hands and get the glass of water in his weak grasp. With careful movement, as to not spill precious water around, the hedgehog started to slowly sip the liquid, savoring the fresh sensation that it gave as it went down his throat between the occasional cough.

Sonic kept his hand over the other hedgehog's, holding the glass in his patient's grip as he drank, the hero's other hand still lingering at the furry's shoulder to keep him upright, watching carefully so that the hedgehog wouldn't suddenly start trying to inhale the drink or something and choke, and keeping him from falling or dropping the glass.

Even with the small sips the injured animal was taking, the water didn't last as long as Sonic felt the hedgehog wanted it to. Wordlessly, he took the glass from the dark creature's hands.

The black hedgehog fixed his ruby eyes in the other's green ones and slightly nodded in gratitude for the glass of water; however, he was still far from being satisfied with water. He needed more; his mouth and throat were still somewhat dry.

Sonic looked at the glass for a moment, and then toward the appreciative, yet pleading eyes of his new companion. A small smile twitched in the corner of his muzzle. He didn't think that half full glass would help much. He patted the shoulder in his grasp gently.

"I'll go get you some more if you want, alright?"

The black creature nodded with thankful eyes at him, then leaned on the back of the couch trying to relax despite the pain that the wounds all over his body gave him.

Sonic was as quick as his name practically, going into the kitchen with the glass the moment he was sure the hedgehog could sit well enough by himself. Checking the tap water to make sure it was cool enough, he filled the glass almost all the way and set it aside, filling a kettle as well. Tails had warned him that with the extensive burns and wounds, he shouldn't allow the injured hedgehog to eat foods that were mostly solid, and to stick with soup and grains.

Setting the pot onto the stove and turning the heat on low, he turned back toward the kitchen with the glass of water, feeling somewhat lighter now that the fire victim was awake.

The black hedgehog closed his eyes; his body was not only tormenting him with pain, but it also couldn't decide if it would feel cold or hot... and concentrating to forget about it was out of the question as he was too tired to do that. He just wanted to eat something, drink as much water as he could and then go back to sleep and forget the whole mess he was in.

'Wow, he looks miserable...' Sonic mused absently as he once again aided the hedgehog in drinking down the clear, rejuvenating liquid. He seemed far better already, at least enough so that Sonic could see small flicks of discomfort and something akin to fear.

But what did he have to be afraid of? The fire was gone, and Sonic... well, he didn't plan on doing anything more than helping him drink and keep from losing any more blood for the moment. And perhaps getting some food into him, but the soup wouldn't be ready for a while...

The thought of food brought his gaze over to his own BTL sandwich, minus the bacon, because he hadn't wanted the wait and cook it. His stomach gave a silent rumble, but he resolved to not touch his food until he was sure the patient was comfortable. Or at least as much as he could be.

The black one looked at his improvised caretaker "You... can eat... if..."

His voice came out extremely hoarse and feebler than a whisper and it was interrupted by a few loud and almost uncontrolled coughs.

Again, he felt his own blood in his mouth.

Sonic hurriedly tilted the hedgehog's head forward slightly, setting the glass aside, and cradling the frail form gently. He suddenly felt parental toward the injured furry, and worried.

"You shouldn't try to talk, don't bother with it until your throat's a little better, or at least until you can do it without me having to worry that you'll bleed to death..." As he spoke, he ran his fingers over the hedgehog's back in lulling circles, remembering that Knuckles had once tricked him into sleeping by using this trick.

The black hedgehog relaxed under the caressing of the other furry and leaned into it, barely holding the fit of coughs that were threatening to come back and swallowing the blood that came up them.

Sonic smiled gently as his charge relaxed, rocking the hedgehog as carefully as he could, shifting him so that they would both be slightly more comfortable, moving the injured furry's head onto his own chest so that he could lay back slightly. He'd felt ravenous a second ago, but now he felt only the weighty blanket of slumber pressing down on him.

He leaned back into the couch's soft, overstuffed interior, his smile still making its presence known on his muzzle as his eyelids drifted open and closed. Sonic didn't even happen to notice he was purring, lightly though, and while it wasn't a true purr, it was as close as he could get, a content rumble from the back of his throat.

'I REALLY haven't been sleeping enough as of late,' was his last fully made thought before his eyes drifted closed.

The black one was quite confused abut the behavior of the blue hedgehog, especially the 'purr' that he could faintly hear coming from him; his ear twitched as he felt another faint rumble coming from the kitchen; guessing that it was boiling water, he started to slowly shake the furry that was holding him in his arms.

Sonic's arms, his grasp loosened by his sudden sleeping state, fell away from the hedgehog with much fight. The hedgehog uttered a small moan, but was already caught in sleep, and wouldn't wake soon, unless provoked again. The tan muzzle folded into a thoughtful frown, and the blue ears twitched, but there was not much else in the way of response.

Sighing, the black hedgehog slowly crawled out of the other's embrace and managed to sit up on the couch; he needed food as soon as possible. Two days without it made him want to do even the impossible to get something to eat.

With a deep breath, the dark furry pushed his battered body on a standing position and bit down a fit of coughs. Little by little he managed to reach the kitchen's door and lean on it's frame to take some needed deep breaths.

One of Sonic's ears pivoted to face toward the kitchen, as though it was homing in on the intruder. Sonic was muttering something below his breath, about how he should've done something or some such topic. Most of it was mindless chatter, to be ignored on all occasions, especially when the hero was speaking it in his sleep.

Glancing back at the sleeping hedgehog on the couch, the black creature wobbled to the stove, keeping himself upright by grasping the table or whatever was enough firm to keep him up. Quietly looking around, he noticed an envelope of instant soup on the counter next to the stove.

Sonic, well known for his tendency to roll and squirm in his sleep, tumbled out of his sitting up position and sank into the plush of the sofa with a gentle 'whump' and short exhale. For a moment, his eyes blinked open, but then, with a groan, fell closed.

Not hearing anything but the boiling water and the occasional grumble of his stomach, the black hedgehog poured the instant soup in the kettle and turned the envelope around to read the time needed to cook it.

10 minutes on low fire.

Setting the fire on low, the black creature went to sit on a chair, but ended up coughing up blood halfway to it; slowly, he sank on his knees and started freeing his lungs from the blood that had pooled once again.

He inwardly cursed his conditions and not being able to be independent enough to make a soup.

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REVIEW Shadow demands it!


	2. Chapter 2 — Know Thy Enemies

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Chapter Two - Know Thy Enemies

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Sonic's ear pricked and he shifted uncomfortably, trying to ignore the coughing. Tails coughed like that when one of his experiments went wrong and blew up in his face, leaving soot and ash everywhere, but the kit could take care of himself usually, and would let him know if something really was wrong. Then again, he hadn't heard an explosion...

'Wait...Tails' should still be out...and his machines wouldn't blow up if he wasn't here to tinker with them....' His tired mind tried its hardest to put two and two together before lapsing into another fit of slumber. A losing battle.

However, when Sonic rolled over to find a more choice spot on the sofa, he jerked awake again, realizing his hands were, strangely enough, empty of the patient he could've sworn was there a while ago....

That woke him up, and with a cry of surprise, Sonic tried to stand while still laying, finding himself tangled in his own limbs on his floor.

Managing to subside his coughing fits, the black hedgehog had crawled to the table and helped himself up and in the chair using the table as a support. Now that he was sitting, he could somewhat relax, albeit the hardness of the chair prevented him from doing it.

Ten minutes and he would finally eat something after two days without food.

Sonic scrambled onto his feet, looking around wildly, and chiding himself mentally for falling asleep on the job. What kind of hero was he? For all he knew, his charge could be anywhere in the house, dying or something. And how had he moved himself, the unnamed hedgehog should have been too injured to move.

After checking for wounds of his own, for he had once tried to choke himself in his sleep, an experience he would not soon forget, he noticed that he didn't hear the water in the kitchen boiling, even though his clock, if it was right, clearly stated that it should've started doing so by some time now.

'Obvious choice...the kitchen.'

So, he headed that way, peering in to check on the soup water, but surprised when he found that the timer had been set, and the package of Insto-Soupo was missing. Perhaps Tails had come home early? He was getting ready to look for the missing hedgehog, when a shape at their table caught his eye.

The black creature was somewhat dozing on the kitchen table with his arms folded on it to make a improvised pillow for his head; hearing someone walk into the room, he raised his head and looked with tired eyes at his caretaker.

Sonic, disbelieving, took a tentative step toward the hedgehog, startled by the fact that not only was he still awake, but he had gotten into the kitchen to start on the soup and had made it then to the table. The first part in itself was a miracle. Still, he might as well check on him, since it paid well to be cautious.

The black hedgehog, knowing that the other was going to examine his wounds or something like that, stood back up and leaned his back on the chair, earning him a small cough that threatened to bring another fit; however, he managed to successfully hide the fact that he was in pain.

Noting the small cough, Sonic placed a hand onto the dark furry's forehead, finding it far cooler than he expected it to be, though still somewhat warm. Setting about taking his charge's pulse and checking to be sure the bandages were still in order, he found himself speaking to the hedgehog, though softly.

"You shouldn't scare me like that, I almost had a heart attack. Shouldn't be walking around anyway. You'll get sick, and it's bad enough that I'm worrying you'll cough up your liver and kidney or something." He grumbled, pulling a few wrappings slightly aside to make sure the wounds hadn't started bleeding again.

"Jeez, something banged you up pretty bad..." He muttered, and fixed the other with a questioning look.

The ruby eyes of the dark one looked away, remembering the hellish week he had being chased by... by that thing. At first he had managed to counterattack it fairy well, but as time passed, he started feeling weak, meanwhile the thing was as fresh as it had started fighting just a minute before.

After a hour or so that he started loosing to it, he had decided that the only thing to do was to run away and hide until he was feeling back up for another counter attack. But as much as he tried, he could hide for only a few hours.

It seemed that the thing could track him wherever he was, giving him barely the time to rest a little and eat whatever he found in his run...then, the last two days it worsened so badly that he had barely the time to drink something before running away.

Luckily, now he could rest a little more before it returned, as seeing that he was supposedly a little pile of ashes in that old factory.

A sharp 'ding' broke Sonic's concentration on the well-being of the hedgehog in front of him, and he turned to look toward the kitchen, a thin pillow of steam rising leisurely from the pot of soup there. He grinned.

"Bet you're ready for that..." He chuckled, and left the amazingly-better hedgehog's side, searching through the cupboards for a few minutes before locating a clean bowl and spoon.

"Chicken Noodle ala King." He announced, pouring a fairly middle sized serving into the bowl, and pushing the pot off of the heated burner so that it wouldn't over-cook while the other chowed down. Then, checking to be completely sure the stove was off, returned to the table, food in hand.

The black one hungrily eyed the bowl filled with food, by now the smell was making him almost drool uncontrollably. Although he didn't know what was in the bowl, by the scent he guessed that it was damn good.

Sonic raised a brow, and rolled his eyes. If this was what he acted like when he was injured and starving... well, Sonic wouldn't go there. Before placing the bowl down in front of the other hedgehog though, he looked him over again, one last check. Then he set the food before his companion, the broth swirling as the spoon was placed inside.

"There you go. Enjoy."

The soup lasted only a few minutes as the black hedgehog literally devoured it; finally, after two days without food, his stomach stopped complaining brutally. And now that it was full, he felt better; this brought him into some sort of state of sleepiness, but at the same time, a state were he could walk around almost normally despite him injured state.

Sonic stared at the empty bowl for a second, and smiled. Taking the bowl in hand, he glanced at the other, now noticeably healthier looking. And content, it seemed, but just to make sure...

"If you want more, all you have to do is ask." He waved the bowl gently, the spoon clinking against the plastic.

The black one nodded his head, that soup was good, warm and inviting. He had never savored something like that, the things that who took care of him before the incident gave him to eat were dead plain tasteless.

"Okay..." Sonic frowned. "Is that a 'yes, I would like more,' or 'yes, I understand, but no thanks'?" He hated that the other wasn't talking, but if talking meant another coughing fit, Sonic would let him get away with being mute till he felt better.

The hedgehog, understanding the barrier that the lack of talking from his end was quite troublesome, settled on mouthing the word 'more' in hope that the other understood him better.

He noticed his companion mouthing something to him, but Sonic had never much for lip-reading. Seemed too hard in his book, listening was a better way to do things. Now he was mentally screaming at himself for not learning. He sighed, and ran a gloveless hand through his quills.

"Um, I'm going to guess, and you can shake yes or no on this, that you want more? Right?"

The dark hedgehog nodded slowly, careful to not get a headache or another coughing fit.

Sonic grinned proudly, feeling that they were finally getting somewhere, the fact that he had guessed correctly having also bearing on his good mood. He turned to refill the bowl, still the trademark smile still present.

The black one watched as the other refilled the bowl; it was so strange to be with someone that he didn't even know the name and be treated like a normal person and not like...

His train of thoughts, however, were interrupted as he heard a noise coming from outside the house; he abruptly snapped his head straight, forgetting all the pain and the urge to cough, and started concentrating on the faint noise as his ears moved around trying to pinpoint the source.

As much as he tried to deny it, he knew that they were there to bring him back to his cold prison.

Well, he wasn't going down without a fight.

Even if it killed him on the spot. Besides, if he died, nobody would feel his absence.

Sonic's ears pricked and he glanced out of the kitchen toward the door, a little surprised. It was far too late, or early depending on your view, for visitors, and Tails never knocked, since it was his house too. Setting the bowl on the table, he crossed into the living room and peered through the blinds of the window closest to the door.

Uniforms, dark in color, and similar to those of policemen, but not. Sonic didn't remember seeing them before anywhere in the city. A special ops team perhaps? Or maybe something else?

Somehow, he was glad that the dining room wasn't in sight of the doorway, though he couldn't find a good reason as to why. Casting a glance back to the other hedgehog, he growled as the knock came again, more urgent.

The black furry started to feel extremely nervous and on the edge of going savage against the humans outside; he wouldn't get back there. No way that he was going to be sealed away from the world again.  
Raising his quills, he prepared for the incoming battle that would decide his destiny.

Sonic couldn't explain why he suddenly felt on the edge, but he did. Unsure and somewhat cautiously, he pressed the intercom Tails had recently installed, since a robot of Robotnik's had once come straight to their house to attack them, feigning like he'd only just woken up.

"I'm awake already...what do you want..?"

The human on the other side of the intercom cleared his throat, "We're following a dangerous escapee. It appears that he ran this way. We have to ask of you to open the door and let us check the house." He said trying to sound authoritative.

"Escapee...?" He muttered sleepily, sounding he was sure, as surprised as he felt. He cast a quick glance in the direction of the dining room, taking a small step backwards to catch a glimpse of his charge.

"What does he look like?"

"He's a black hedgehog with red streaks on his body. He's impossible to mistake. Again, I ask for you to open the door and let us inside. He may have sneaked into your home and took refuge somewhere. And since we have surrounded the house, he could take you hostage for a way out."

By now, the human sounded more irked than anything else, meanwhile, in the kitchen, the black creature was trying hard to keep himself calm.

Perfect match.

Great, the world renown hero had what was possibly a killer in his house. Didn't look like much of one, and he seriously doubted that the scraggly ball of fur could find the strength to flip a coin, let alone catch Sonic as a hostage.

"I seriously doubt he's in my house, Officer... um... who are you?" Oh great, now he was defending this guy... though, pushing this guy's buttons might make up for his sudden lack of sanity.

The human on the other side inwardly cursed the owner of the house on the other side of the door, "I'm sorry, sir, but this information is classified. It is extremely important that you open the door and let us in, or we will have to force it down."

The black furry, hearing that, felt his fur stand on end and started planning on how to take those humans down. A hand to hand combat was out of the question as he was barely able to stand on his feet.

"Alright, alright." Sonic sighed, feeling that his fun was being trashed. "I'll let you in, but you'll hafta give me a second. I've got to shut off the security system so you don't get incinerated the second you walk inside, which is what happens when your DNA isn't confirmed." He shut the intercom off, hoping that the point-blank lie bought him a second or two.

He had already decided that his charge wouldn't be going to these people. For one, he didn't like their attitude, not that he could talk, and they didn't seem to realize who's house this was, which gave him all sorts of reasons to walk all over them, in his own little world.

Of course, he would check with his companion first.

Hurrying into the dining room, he spotted the other in what looked like a state of panic, and placed a hand on his shoulder gently, to draw his attention.

"Friends of yours?" He inquired.

The black one jumped a few inches out of his nerves before shaking forcefully his head; damn, he couldn't fight, so the only option was flee again even if it didn't suit him.

"Thought that would be the answer." Sonic grinned and motioned for the hedgehog to rise. "...which means we hafta get you hidden before they bust the door down." He rolled his eyes pointedly. "Impatient and arrogant..."

The black one complied and managed to stabilize himself grasping the table; he was still weak, but he was gradually getting better even if he was covered in wounds. Especially after the soup.

Sonic immediately noticed his trouble, and took hold of the closet arm, looping it over his shoulders. "If this doesn't work, I plan to carry you again." He mumbled, smirking. Then he ran through his memory of the house to settle on a hiding place, before grinning.

Tails had a sort of 'second basement' beneath his downstairs workshop. It was were he kept all his failed projects, insisting that nothing should be thrown away, since it could save their lives someday. And it had, on numerous occasions.

This seemed to be one of them.

The black one looked at him with confusion, why was he helping him after what the people outside had said to him, even if a lie?

He took a deep breath and sighed, getting another fits of coughs out of his lungs. Without hesitating, he brought his free hand over his mouth to muffle them and squeezed his eyes shut. Damn internal wound...

He winced at the pained sound of his companion, and quickly set his feet into gear. Time was of the essence, and those people at his door wouldn't wait around forever, they'd barge right in, security field or not.

When they reached the workshop, he hurriedly flicked the light on, and leaned the other against the wall near in, before rushing to the far side and moving one of the large consoles out of place, revealing a small trapdoor with a password pad nearby.

The black one looked up the stairs as he heard the human starting to bang at the door and demanding immediate access to the house; he stood up from the wall and wobbly made his way behind the hedgehog as this last put in the code and opened the small trapdoor.

Sonic reached down into the dark room the trapdoor lead to, his ears picking up the impatient banging, and switched on another light, so that the small basement was illuminated.

"Okay, that's the best we got on such short notice, so you'll hafta make do." He motioned for him to climb down. "And be sure to turn the light off, it's this little button. The green one. Don't hit the yellow one, that trashes everything, plus screws up the upstairs power." He patted the hedgehog gently on the shoulder, giving him an encouraging smile.

The black one nodded and slowly made his way down the hatch; when he was on the ground, he looked around trying to find a more hidden spot. Seeing it behind a pile of garbage and a table, he turned off the light and was instantly met with darkness.

Soon, his eyes adjusted to the little light that was coming from upstairs and made his way behind the table and pile, crouching down so he would be ready to jump into action if something happened.

Sonic closed the door to the basement with the large piece of machinery as soon as he was sure his charge was settled, not locking it because he didn't want to have to struggle around with the lock when he came for him.

Then he hurried back upstairs and to the intercom, hearing the angry voices on the door's other side louder than ever. Pressing it on, he let his annoyance show.

"Stop griping, you act like someone's dying. Sheesh!" He then turned to the door and unlocked it, muttering about immaturity, as though he'd never shown any of his own, "Step lightly and mind the chandeliers." His voice dripped with sarcasm as he flung the entryway open.

The man widened his eyes a little on finding the world renowned hero in front of him; the report said that this was the house of a common citizen, not the house of Sonic the Hedgehog. That must have been outdated.

"We're sorry to barg in like this, Mr. Hedgehog, but we really need to catch that escapee. He is very dangerous."

'Nice change of tune, but it won't change my opinion of you.' Sonic thought, giving a neutral shrug on the outside, before sweeping his hand outward.

"Kitchen's that way, workshop's downstairs, and the backyard's nonexistent. Didn't mean to sound rude on the com, but I mean, it's two in the morning. What do you expect?" He pointed a thumb back toward the kitchen again. "Can I get you anything?"

The human motioned for his squad to start looking around the house, meanwhile the leader just stood in front of the hedgehog.

"No, thanks. we're on duty."

He was going to say more when one of the men returned from the living room, "Captain, we found something odd in the living room. There's a first aid kit and a first aid manual on the coffee table."

The leader raised an eyebrow at that.

Sonic rolled his eyes and held out his hands, the bandaged burns on his arms showing less than clearly, since after he'd used all the white gauze on Shadow, all that had remained was a roll of dark blue cloth for Tails to use on his arms.

"Got burned. It happens. What's odd about that?"

The human raised an eyebrow skeptically, he was not sure if the hedgehog in front of him was telling the truth or not, but since the hedgehog was Sonic, he could do nothing till he received new orders from the headquarters.

"Very well, then. We shall be off. Please, if you notice this escapee, warn immediately the authorities. We'll know straight away."

Sonic fought a grin from his face, and nodded solemnly. "Will do, and if he does come into the house without an invite, I'll be sure to give you first dibs on his ashes." He saluted smartly, the smile-battle lost.

The leader of the squad nodded solemnly as his quad slowly made its way out of the door; he then followed them and ordered his men to get back into the cars and go back to their base.

The minute they were gone, Sonic locked the door again and exhaled loudly in relief. He hadn't even realized he'd been so nervous till now. His grin triumphant, he hurried back to the basement, practically throwing the equipment aside and the trapdoor open.

The black one cautiously peeked out of his hiding spot, and when he saw the blue hedgehog, he moved to get up, only to fail and fall on the ground. He cursed the idea of staying in a crouching position. Yes, it would have been perfect for an emergency, but now he found that his legs weren't up for the strain.

The impact with the floor earned him another coughing fit with less blood than before. The wound was starting to heal, but it was still somewhat annoying feeling his own blood go up his throat and the taste of it in his mouth.

Sonic gave a start, and immediately dropped down to assist his charge in getting out of the second basement, his grin faded, yes, but not gone. By the time he'd hauled the other out from the hatch, Sonic felt like he could sleep for the rest of the day....night...whatever.

Noticing that there wasn't as much blood with this particular fit, Sonic frowned and tilted the injured's head upward, pressing a hand delicately against the throat. As he suspected, the hedgehog had coughed himself raw, and was probably a little more than annoyed about it.

"We'll have to see what we can find for that cough..." He mumbled, relocking the basement with one hand, and setting the other aside so he could shove the machinery back into place.

The black one merely nodded, as he felt that all of his fatigue was returning quickly; every time he tried to gulp down saliva or his own blood, his throat was screaming to him to stop as the pain was too much for it to take.

"Alright then, now... should I carry you, or do you think you might be able to walk alone?" He looked at him, calculating. The throat medicine would more than likely make him insanely tired, which meant they could both get a little sleep in before they collapsed from sheer exhaustion.

The injured furry tried to stand up from the wall he was leaning onto and tried to take a step onward. However, as much as he wanted, his legs were too tired and decided to give away under him, making him fall to the floor.

Sonic knew almost before the hedgehog took the step that he would fall. However, instead of letting him hit the floor, hero instinct demanded that he reach out and catch his charge before something unfortunate happened. He pulled the furry close and stood fully.

"Guess it's choice number one then," He said, moving toward the door. "By the way, any idea what those guys were after you for?" The question was out before Sonic could stop it, and bit his tongue, feeling stupid. Of course, the hedgehog couldn't answer without causing himself pain.

The black hedgehog merely nodded. He knew full well why they were after him.

Sonic raised an eyebrow, but decided to let the hedgehog go on with that answer. After a brief struggle, he reached the living room and set his load onto the couch again, leaving for the kitchen to grab the now cold soup and place it in the microwave to warm up, and dig around for the 'cough and sore throat' medication.

The black one merely sat there, his mind deep in thought. All that happened to him, the incident, the imprisonment, the liberation, the chase, and finally this hedgehog that didn't even know his name and was taking care of him instead of leaving him in a hospital, where he would surely be found in a bed, maybe under some drugs that kept him asleep.

As soon as he would get his voice back, he would make sure to thank him.

"Finally..." Sonic grumbled, having located the elusive medicine. "I think Tails is hiding this stuff from me on purpose..." Returning to the living room, he checked the directions. He was to fill up the little top with the correct amount of liquid.

Slight problem. The amount was depicted by ages.

"Crap..."

The black one was snapped out of his thoughts by the other hedgehog that was having some difficulties with a bottle in his hands; looking at him in the eyes, he raised an eyebrow in question.

'I could assume he's my age, but seventeen is right on the threshold between two and three capfuls...' Too much and he'd get sick, too little and he wouldn't get better as fast. His ear flicked back and froth, reacting to his frustration, 'Better less than more...but I'd hate having to sit with him an hour for the stuff to work. He'd be miserable.'

He had been focusing on the bottle so hard, he didn't notice the hedgehog looking at him at first. He grinned sheepishly when he realized it, and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Um...not to sound forward, but how old are you?"

The black one froze on the spot, then, very slowly he looked at his hands in something like regret; how old was he? He didn't know that. Not because he had forgotten it, but because he never knew it. The only thing that he knew for sure was that his body was the one of a youth, between 15 and 20...

The look of sadness made Sonic feel terrible, and his ears flattened against his head. "How about we go with my age? I warn you though, it might not be enough medicine, and if not, it won't start working right away like it's supposed to." He unscrewed the bottle's lid, eyes still on his patient.

The hedgehog on the couch nodded absently, still sad about not knowing even his age. What had he done to deserve the life he had? He just wanted to live peacefully, but after that incident, everything just became distorted.

Even him.

Sonic took in the nod and began carefully pouring the first capful, the expression on the hedgehog's face tearing at him. He hated it when people looked like that, depressed, unsure... it was the look of failure, and Sonic was well known for his hate of losing.

Gently, he pressed the cap of reddish-brown cough syrup into the hedgehog's hands, making sure he had a firm gasp on the cap before letting go. The sickly-sweet, yet bitter, smell of the medicine made him shudder.

"You won't like this part, believe me."

The black hedgehog shrugged, then gulped down the medicine; a second later he squeezed his eyes shut and hunched over, trying to not cough fiercely. Tears of pain left his eyes as the bitter-sweet syrup traveled down his battered throat.

"Shh... shh..." Sonic put a hand on the other's shoulder, squeezing gently, and patted the dark furry on the back, trying to help the discomfort pass. "Don't worry, it only tastes that bad for a little while. Much as I hate to admit, that stuff works fastest, and the longest..."

He took back the cap and poured another dosage for his patient, knowing he would be less than eager to take the last bit of his medication, a miracle cure or not. He heard a sharp beep as the microwave finished heating the soup and set the bottle in front of the hedgehog before standing.

"Think of it this way: you don't have to take three." Then he grinned and turned his feet toward the kitchen, calling back, "I'll get you the soup so you can wash down the taste." As an afterthought, he grabbed up the empty water glass, and the sandwich, now dry, before going into the kitchen.

The black one looked at the cap in his hands, then with a sigh he gulped the content down. Might as well get with it now since his throat was busy with the first wave and it wouldn't feel the second one.

Like he had guessed, the second wave went down smoothly; he placed the cap on the coffee table and waited for the other hedgehog to bring him the soup.

Sonic blew on the bowl carefully before reaching in for it again. He'd already made the mistake of trying to grab in straight off, and had burned his hands slightly, now wringing them together in an attempt to make the numb feeling go away.

Finally he judged the bowl cool enough to handle, and he removed it from the micro-oven, carefully shutting the door afterward, and grabbing the spoon up. Then he came back to the couch, and smiled at the empty cap.

'Good. He got it over with. Was afraid I'd have to force feed him.' He mused, placing the bowl and utensil down, before plopping onto the floor, tired.

"Be sure to blow on the soup first. Pretty hot."

After a quick questioning glance at the blue hedgehog, the injured furry cooled the soup until it was the right temperature to eat; again, the bowl of food lasted just a few minutes as he devoured it like there was no tomorrow. Once clean, the dark one set it on the coffee table and finally took the time to look around the house.

If Sonic wasn't so tired, he might have laughed. As it was, he simply gave a faint chuckle and pulled his knees to his tan chest, crossing his arms over them to rest his chin on and he sleepily watched his charge's curiosity.

Finally, after some minutes of careful inspection, the black creature looked at the hedgehog on the floor, "Thanks..." He whispered through the pain of his throat and body.

Sonic's ears perked and he blinked rapidly, before realizing that not only had he been spoken to, but it was the other hedgehog talking. He fixed him with a scolding look, trying to mimic the one he often got from Tails.

"You shouldn't be talking, your throat has to heal." He warned. "You don't want to start coughing up blood again, do you? After you finally seem to have stopped." An eyebrow raised to add emphasis.

The black one shook his head lightly, "Wound... healed. Almost." He said trying to speak as little as he could, "Just....sore."

"Almost doesn't count in this game..." Sonic said, pointedly. "You're not ready for chatting up storms, and if I have to suffer silence whenever I'm the injured one, you can too, believe me." He grinned.

The black hedgehog nodded, "Shadow..." He whispered again suffocating another fit.

Sonic processed that, while patting the hedgehog gently to help him with the coughing problem. 'Told him not to talk... wait... Shadow?' He glanced at the hedgehog questioningly.

"Shadow... is that your name?" He inquired, then added, "Just shake yes or no, cause if you start coughing again, I guarantee another cap of medicine as punishment." He jerked his thumb toward the table to get his point across.

The black hedgehog hinted a smile, "Not afraid...of medicine...but yes." He whispered just to prove that he was getting better despite the coughing fits.

"It fits..." Sonic praised, ignoring now that his patient was 'chatting up a storm' though he'd expressly forbidden it. The hero was too grateful for the conversation. "With the black and all. But are the streaks natural?" He was rather interested in them.

Shadow just settled on nodding, he knew that the less he talked, the less his throat hurt. Then he looked at the blue hedgehog, "Name?"

Sonic grinned, but slapped his forehead. "Oh sorry, where are my manners today? First the guy on the com, now you!" He rolled his eyes. "It's Sonic the Hedgehog, but that's a nice, big mouthful. So pretty much, just Sonic."

The black hedgehog just nodded, acknowledging him as just a normal person and not as a world renown hero, "Thanks, Sonic...for having...helped me." He whispered closing his tired eyes.

Sonic smiled, and felt his own eyes drawing close. "No problem...steer clear of burning buildings next time though..." It came out as mostly a sleepy murmur.

"Not...my fault...It wanted...to kill me." He whispered back coughing a little.

'Okay, halt all sleeping factors, WHAT was that?!'

He was upright already. "Kill you?! What did? There wasn't anything around but the fire, and I know that it wasn't alive, kindly as it tried to eat me..."

"Fire...alive...Thing...made it...alive..." He answered opening his tired ruby eyes by a crack and looking in the space in front of him.

The sapphire's first response to that was to be expected...

Disbelief.

He placed a hand against Shadow's forehead, his look nothing short of amazed when he found no fever. But fire couldn't come to life....could it?

"Alright, let's say the fire was alive..." Sonic tried to find his voice, "...how could that happen? And what's this...'thing'?"

"Thing...no name...no shape...at all." He whispered trying to not cough again, "Being chased...all week...It is...tireless...powerful...hidden...in darkness..." At this point he coughed, but when he was done he looked in the eyes of Sonic.

"It is...extremely dangerous....won't stop...in front of...anything..."

'Oh great, riddles.' Sonic's brow furrowed. "Okay... so this... shapeless thing wants you dead, am I right? What'd you do to it? I mean... you look harmless enough." 'Especially covered head to toe in bandages like a mummy.' He mused, but did not voice that, not wanting to offend.

Shadow pondered on what to say, then he decided to tell the truth to some extents; he didn't wanted to bring this hedgehog into something that he couldn't handle on his own.

"Doctor... asked me.... for help... but I refused... Then... he got... angry... and sent... the Thing to... kill me." He paused to take a breath, "It follows... exclusively... the orders... of who... summoned... It."

"Well... that sucks. Especially with the whole ancient mumbo jumbo..." Sonic muttered. "Doctors are usually okay people, save one or two I know of... what'd he want anyway? An organ transplant?" It was playful, but not. Sonic was truly interested.

"Said... he wanted... the world..." He whispered closing his eyes once again, talking right now was a bit stressful and a lot painful.

Sonic almost asked the doctor's name, almost. But he also noticed that Shadow didn't look as 'I'm fine' as he'd been acting a few minutes before. Shaking his head, he settled back down.

"You should go to sleep for now." Sonic sighed, his words barely muffled by his arms. "We both should. So stop talking, before I'm forced to do something we'll both regret, and get some rest. If we're going up against this... shapeless... nameless... 'Thing' we might as well both be somewhat rested.

He moved his neck slightly so that a loud 'pop' was heard. "'Sides it prolly thinks you're dead now, if it thinks at all... gives us the element of surprise."

"Don't know... that doctor... says he's... a genius.... countless robots... at his disposal..." He said shifting a little on his sitting position, "Says... he has... eyes everywhere..."

'Genius? Robots? A familiar tune, the canary sings...' He pushed sleep away again and raised an eyebrow. "Okay, countless robots and IQ to match his ego? By any chance does he look like his childhood idol was an Easter egg?"

Shadow nodded his head with closed eyes, "Yes... egg shaped..."

'Screw sleep, we're up now.' Sonic let his arms unfold and leaned forward to try and look at Shadow fully in the face, fighting off laughter. The coincidence was too great. Unless it wasn't an accident and Shadow was some sort of trap, but that was too well planned for his prime suspect's own good, and fair beyond his timing capabilities.

"The name Robotnik ring a bell?"

Shadow's blood froze in his veins as soon as his brain registered the name 'Robotnik', "How... how do you... know... about... Robotnik's name?"

Insert cheeky smile here.

"No reason..." He drolled happily. This was just too rich. Far, far too rich for his health. He'd never get to sleep now. "But nice to know Eggman's got some new tricks. He was starting to get so boring...."

Shadow sighed in relief as he realized that the blue hedgehog was talking about the doctor, and not Gerald Robotnik, "You... should... not take... this so... lightly..."

"Why not?" 'Feign concern, don't laugh, don't laugh....Knuckles just ate your last chilidog, Tails brought out the anti-bacteria...' He was well aware that he was shaking slightly, from the laughter bottled inside him.

"Because... I could... barely fight it... for a couple... of hours... before.... getting tired... and..." He paused, "And... no matter what... I couldn't... escape from it... not even... breaking... sound barrier..."

'Okay... can't fight... hours... escape...WHAT?! Sound WHAT?!'

Sonic was suddenly choking on nothing more than his own breath, and he clutched at his throat for a moment, trying not to suffocate. When he finally got a grip on himself, he stared at Shadow. "You can break the sound barrier?!"

"Not... only that..." He managed before having a bad fit of coughs; he hunched onwards and clasped his hands over his mouth, preventing the blood that came out to not spill on the floor. His eyes closed, and a few tears were spilled for the effort of the abrupt movements.

Sonic started forward, but didn't lay a hand on him, waiting until Shadow had a grip on himself. "But you mean breaking like with a car or something, right? You can't mean on foot or anything cause well... I mean that... because.... that's just..." He couldn't voice the right words, because impossible didn't mean what he meant.

"It can't be done! No one's ever done it!" '...cept me..'

Shadow finally got a grip on himself and stood back up on the couch; he looked at his gloves that were stained with blood. He had lost so much of it that a normal person would be in coma or dead, but not him.

"Don't need.... car.... I was brought... into this world.... with this... and many other... abilities..."

Sonic was dumbfounded. "So... you just... run?" His arms were slack, dead weight, and he almost couldn't breath. Leaning back against the couch and trying to make sense of what Shadow was telling him... a wonder he wasn't already insane.

"This... this is impossible..." He murmured, raking his quills thoroughly with his blue-furred fingers. "Amazing...I was so sure.... I mean, not even Knuckles could..."

The black hedgehog sighed heavily, "I wasn't.... meant.... to be... alive...." He whispered to himself.

Sonic was lost in his rantings, but he heard the whisper. Or at least the tone. "Don't talk like that." His ear had already started it's natural, agitated flicking.

"Why? I... deserve this..." he whispered, "As soon as... I was..." He paused, searching for the right words to explain without giving away his past, "As soon as... they gave me... life... they used me..."

"Well, if they used you, then the consequences aren't truly your fault, now are they?" He was pleased with his logic, it had been fine tuned over the years. The fact that he was stubborn helped a lot.

"Maybe... but it was... the sole reason... they gave me life..." He whispered back, closing his eyes in search of a peaceful slumber.

Sonic gave him a tired look, but with Shadow's eyes closed, it lost its effect. They both should've been asleep forever and a day ago, Shadow for his recuperation, and Sonic, since he just knew that there was gonna be trouble over this hedgehog. His early house guests had attested to that.

What was really nagging at Sonic right now was not so much the fact that Robotnik himself was after Shadow, but what Shadow had said earlier. Sonic had always been the only one with speeds beyond that of the sound barrier. The fact that Shadow claimed he also carried that ability... well, it was a little hard to digest after so long.

'Though it's nothing a little race won't cure...' He smiled. 'When he gets better of course. Can't have unfair advantages.'

The black hedgehog sighed a little, and fell asleep sitting up, not minding that he still wore his shoes and gloves. He was too tired to care about them; he just wanted to sleep and forget his current situation.

Sonic waited until he was absolutely sure the other hedgehog was fast asleep before closing his own eyes, though he knew already that sleep was going to be unreachable for the next few minutes, with his mind abuzz with question like this.

"Oh well," He grumbled. "Might as well clean..." Then with a loud sigh, he hoisted himself to his feet to gather up the cough medicine and empty dishes from the coffee table and headed toward the kitchen.

Mumbling out something under his breath, Shadow shifted in his position and fell sideways; now he was laying on the couch with his legs still in their previous sitting position and with his arm almost painfully under his torso.

Sonic's eyes perked when he heard the half silent muttering from the living room, and peered back out toward Shadow. Almost laughing as the other fell across the couch to lie sideways with his legs dangling halfway, Sonic crossed to the sofa and set about helping the hedgehog shift so he was lying on his back.

As an afterthought, he remembered how Shadow's cough was still an aspect, and so managed to prop him up onto the arm of the couch, a cushion under him, so that his head and upper back were raised and he could still be comfy.

The black hedgehog muttered something else, and shifted around till he was comfortable and trying to burrow himself into the couch in search of warmth since all his bandages weren't offering much. With a final small cough, he finally stopped moving and went dead still, the only evidence that he was alive was his chest that moved steadily up and down with the small breaths he took.

The blue hero raised an eyebrow at his charge's squirming and smiled, leaving him long enough to go search through his own room for a blanket, preferably a clean one. The best he found was thin, but warm, and there was fuzz on the underside to keep in warmth. He hurried back and draped it over the other.

Finally feeling the desired warmth, Shadow relaxed and fell into a deeper sleep; he would probably sleep for a few days seeing at how little he slept over the whole week.

Sonic looked toward the kitchen, and decided to gave into the more tempting offer of the night. Settling down in his now chartered place by the couch, he cuddled under some of the fabric hanging over the side of the couch. Though not much cover wise, it did its job, and within minutes he felt his eyes drifting closed.

-----------------------------

Hehe...what? O.o

Yes. The chapter is over.

No. I'm not posting another right now.

Why? ....because I'm lazy.

And evil.

That's always a good excuse! :P


	3. Chapter 3 — Sleep Talking

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Chapter 3 - Sleep Talking

---------------------------------

Ok chap 3 enjoy peeps.......ZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz  
-----------------------------

When Shadow reopened his eyes, it was an afternoon on a non-specified day; he took his left hand out of under the warm blanket and slowly rubbed his eyes.

"Hah! Sleeping beauty awakens!" Sonic closed the door behind him with his foot, arms somewhat full of light brown bags. "We weren't sure when you'd come around. Tails said we should let you sleep though." He set the bags down on the table and returned to the door, locking it. "Speaking of which, hey Tails!!! Back!!"

"Did you get it?" The voice of the vulpine sounded tired, but excited.

"Yeah, yeah, I got it. Though I don't get the attraction with you and this stuff..." He dug through the bags and the excited kit came rushing into the living room, overjoyed it seemed.

"Are you joking?! It's state of the art!" With an eye-roll, Sonic handed over a cardboard box with 'fragile' stamped on its side. The foxling snatched it in a second and with a short, "Thanks!" had disappeared back into his workshop.

"Crazy kid..." Sonic muttered after him.

Shadow weakly sat up feeling depleted of energies, "How long was I out?" He asked noticing that his voice was, even if still a whisper, better and there was no urge to cough at all.

"Two days or so, it was like someone turned you off or something..." He was rummaging through the bags again. "Tails said that you're not well enough for the super solid foods, but I decided to buy a few more soup brands so you can at least have some of a choice on what to eat..." After a few minutes struggle, he yanked out his prize.

"Darn clerks, always sticking everything you want right away at the bottom of the bag..."

The black hedgehog took the blanket away from him and noticed that his shoes and gloves were gone, "Is Tails a doctor?" He asked trying to get the bandages away from his left arm. They were kind of itchy.

Sonic noticed the tugging and reached over, peeling away the tape holding the bandage in place. "Sorry these were the only kind left... and no, Tails isn't. But he's a lot closer than I am. The kid's one of the few reasons both my legs are still attached... him and Knuckles, but Knux is a pain."

He continued unraveling the gauze until it was loose enough for Shadow to pull off by himself. "And don't scratch, your wounds finally healed over. Lil bro'll throw a fit if you start bleeding again. He's already amazed you're not dead."

Shadow nodded and freed his right arm from the bandage, noticing that the cuts were already covered by a thick crust, like his burnings; another few days and he would be able to move without worrying about opening them.

"He seems to know stuff that normal people don't... it is his hobby?"

"Hobby?" Sonic snorted, setting out the last few soup cans. "Try his life." He began checking the labels. "If you're hungry, we've got... cream of mushroom, yucky stuff, beef and vegetables, chicken and rice, more chicken noodle, cause the canned stuff is thicker and much better, and.... veggie."

Shadow laid down once again, "Everything will do for me, but what you mean by 'try his life'?"

"It's his life. He lives for the whole... learning thing... everything? How do I manage that?" Sonic blinked. "Unless I mixed it all together..." He pondered that, but cringed. "Ugh, mushrooms and beef! Blagh!" The imagined taste made him feel like gagging.

The black hedgehog closed his eyes and placed his right arm over his eyes to block the excessive light, "Everything as in 'any of them will be ok', just pick one. I never ate soups, so I don't know what I like."

Sonic's ears were pressed against his head in seconds. "You've... NEVER had soup before the other night? ... As in Never NEVER...?" He was astonished, and horrified. "What about chilidogs?! Don't tell me you've never had those!"

"Never. And never heard of them..." He whispered back.

"You can't be SERIOUS!!!" Sonic gaped, his brain unable to cope with 'never' and 'chilidogs' in the same sentence. Chilidogs were practically the gods of all food, how could you not have experienced their majestic wonders?! "This is an OUTRAGE! It's... it's a crime against the very laws the worlds revolves on!! It's not POSSIBLE!"

"What's not possible is the fact that I was all the way in my workshop when I suddenly became deaf..." Bright aquamarine eyes blinking, and large yellow ears twitching, the foxling stood a few feet away, not the happiest of looks on his faces. "What's all the shouting for?"

"He's never had CHILIDOGS!" Sonic accused, pointing at Shadow, his distaste clear. The fox blinked, then sighed.

"Wrong thing to say..." He directed at the dark hedgehog, while the sapphire hero continued his ranting.

Shadow was looking at him with a cold glare from under his arm, "It is not my fault if those bastards..." He said 'bastard' with such venom that if transformed into poison, it would have been far worse than the poison of a cobra, "... never let me eat nothing but that tasteless paste."

Since Sonic was off ranting in the kitchen, making soup for their guest, Tails was the only one who actually heard the comment. He touched the elder male's shoulder. "Hey it's not like you committed a horrible blasphemy... well in Sonic's eyes you did... but it's nothing really." He smiled absently.

"Chilidogs are... Sonic's favorite food. Actually, favorite doesn't describe it. He's obsessed and addicted to them. Can't go a day without one, even if I have to grind it up and let him eat it through a straw..." He rolled his eyes in an imitation of his older friend and housemate. "He practically dedicates his life to worshiping them."

The black hedgehog waved a hand to him, "No, it's my fault. That's all, I should have never snapped to the one that saved my life risking his."

"You sound like Knuckles." Tails commented, a smile still present. "Don't worry about it, we save people all the time, and lots of em just skidaddle without so much as a thank you. But, I'd watch out if I were you, cause now that Sonic knows you're handicapped in the ways of foods, the second you're better he won't let you leave until he's satisfied that you've tasted everything there is."

"Gah! Tails, the stove is against me again!" The kit sighed, the grin growing larger.

"Excuse me please, duty calls..." He patted the black hedgehog on the shoulder and straightened, hurrying into the kitchen which his twin tails swaying behind him. "What'd you do this time?"

The black hedgehog peeked out from under his arm, then sighing he sat back up, listening to what was happening in the kitchen.

"I did nothing! This was appliance's fault!" Sonic defended himself. The kitling's voice was scolding.

"It looks to ME like you spilled water on the burner..."

"I did not! It's trying to kill me!"

"Sonic... go sit down, I'll cook..." In a huff, the hero trotted into the living room. After a few steps however, he glanced back and grinned. With silent 'yes!' and a little dance, Sonic made his way over to the couch and plopped down beside Shadow, the smile triumphant.

However, the black hedgehog wasn't smiling, after what happened just a few minutes ago made him remember his past and how horrible it was; he was so immersed into his thoughts that he didn't even felt Sonic sit down next to him.

Sonic titled his head slightly, trying to examine the full of Shadow's countenance. He didn't like the grimace his newly healed acquaintance was wearing. Made him think too much of Knuckles, and Knuckles was annoying to think about. Putting a hand on the farther shoulder, Sonic gently shook the streaked hedgehog.

"Hey, what's on your mind? You look like Tails said you needed more cough syrup."

The black one sighed, but not deeply enough to get a coughing fit, and laid on the back of the couch, "Nothing." He said cutting it short.

Sonic didn't fall for it for a second. "Liar." He was experienced in getting people to talk, and he planned on using said talent to make Shadow do so. "Spill."

"It's... none of your business..." He whispered in regret in his barely audible voice.

"I'm nosy." Sonic said with a shrug. "Besides, Robotnik's involved somewhere in there, so everything about you is technically no longer classified and now an open book. Start reading."

"I consider my past classified, and I don't know much about Robotnik's plans..."

He answered closing his eyes and praying to be left alone in his own little world of emotional pain and hate.

"You know, if you don't share willingly, I can always have Tails scan your brain or something. With a techno-genius on my side, I can succeed at a lot you normally wouldn't expect." The fox's voice drifted from the kitchen.

"Am I being mentioned out there?"

"No..." Sonic called back.

Shadow opened his eyes a little and glanced at the blue hedgehog, "Why do you want to know it so much?"

"As stated before, I'm nosy. Plus, Robotnik is one of my life's few problems, and the more I know about you, the better chance I can figure out Robotnik's...'new' plan for world domination. They're basically all the same, but you can never be too careful." Sonic leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees.

"Besides, we know each other now, and I can't make you feel better unless I know what's making you feel lousy, now can I?"

"You won't help me much... and if I tell you my past, you will probably be killed by the same people that came here looking for me. I do not want to be held responsible for more innocent's deaths..."

"Listen Shadow, I'm well known for my tendency to accomplish the impossible, and I'm extremely hard to kill." He was nodding to himself, but to Shadow as well. "Eggman can attest to that, he's tried enough times."

Shadow snapped to attention a little, remembering a few sentences that the Doctor himself had said under his breath.

"So, you're that 'pesky little hedgehog' that he was referring to? If it is so, then some things are explained."

"... he called me 'pesky'?" Sonic blinked, processing that. "It's nice to know I'm doing my job... but... pesky?" A soft snort of laughter.

The black hedgehog, not knowing exactly what was going on between the two, just shrugged and thanked him for changing the topic of the discussion.

Sonic opened his mouth to say more, but before he could get out so much as a syllable, Tails' voice rang from in the kitchen.

"Food's done guys..." The yellow furred head peered out at them. "Are you two hungry?"

Shadow silently stood up, his body still weak, but enough strong to manage to wobble into the kitchen; with a little hidden yawn he sat on the same chair of two days ago, waiting for his meal and pondering what it was and how it would taste. Surely better than that tasteless obscenity the used to gave him.

Tails already had his bowl ready, filled with a thick, cream brown substance, rather than the golden brown from the chicken noodle soup. "I made you the beef and vegetables, since it's usually the favorite of just about every patient Sonic brings here..."

Sonic was already helping himself to a chilidog, and sat down opposite Shadow, but before digging in looked toward Tails, "Aren't you eating?" The kit waved it off.

"I've got work to do, and I already ate."

"Five hours ago."

"I'm fine Sonic, and the Tornado needs repairing besides..." The foxling was edging away from the table, toward the door to the workshop. Sonic was halfway out of his chair in a flash, and held the vulpine by the ear. "Ah!!"

"You're taking food down there and that's final. I'll check in an hour, and it had better be in your stomach by then."

The black creature stared a little perplexed by the behavior of the two, but quickly shrugged it off and went back to the bowl of soup that the fox had placed in front of him.

Again, the smell was wonderful.

He took a spoonful of the food and placed it in his mouth, and he drooled as the rich taste of the soup hit his tongue. His mind took a little time to ask why they denied him of such wonder in favor of a tasteless mass of who-knows-what containing only the essential proteins and all that a body needed to be healthy.

Sonic suspiciously watched his younger friend carry food into his workshop with a defeated sigh. For all Tails' maturity, the kit had a tendency to forgo meals in favor of working longer hours. When he turned back around, he almost fell out of his seat at the sight of Shadow practically melting over his food.

"Someone's enjoying himself..." He grinned, taking a bite of his own messy meal. After swallowing, he continued. "Was the food you ate before that bad?"

Shadow gulped down the mouthful of soup, "They never told me its name, just to eat it. The first times I had a hard time to eat it, but as time went on, and since it was the only thing available for me, I got used to it." He answered not looking up from the bowl.

Sonic grimaced. "Ugh... sounds nasty. Bet it was worse than Therma-flu, and that stuff is just gross!" He shuddered and finished off the chilidog, pondering over his empty plate if he wanted another or not. "So who's they exactly? The people who were at the door?"

The black hedgehog pondered for a few moments if he should tell him or not; then he remembered that he owed him big time and decided to tell him whatever that didn't was too nearby his past.

"A special force called GUN."

"Gun?" Sonic stood and went to get another chilidog or three. "Kinda unoriginal, isn't it? Naming yourself after your choice weapon... ooo we have chili-peppers!" He returned with a sloppy stack of chillin buns and three of the red hot treats. "Tails may not chow down often, but he knows how eat."

"Gun as in Guardian Units of Nations. Have never heard of it?"

"Nope, can't say I have." Sonic answered, putting a pepper onto his chosen next meal. As he bit into it, a gasp escaped his mouth and he quickly chewed and swallowed. "Agh, hot!"

The black hedgehog raised an eyebrow at that, but decided to continue his talk.

"They are an organization that on the outside is under direct orders of the president, but in reality the heads of GUN think themselves to be over every law and the government itself."

"Only people from the military chosen by its general can access this special corp, and sometimes they are ordered to not care about civilians, or worse... kill them to cover up things not meant to be done or not meant to exist."

Sonic finished off the food in silence. Then, gazing at his clear plate, "Then... how do you know about it?" He tilted his head to the side at looked Shadow over. "I mean sure you've got the devil thing going somewhat with the looks, no offense..." He propped his elbow on the table and rested his chin on his hand.

"But you didn't help old Eggy out, so you can't be for world domination. And you don't look like much for a military goon, so I'd rule that out... you're not carrying a bomb or some sort of evil parasitic weapon, are you?" He raised an eyebrow.

Shadow sighed and took the time to finish his soup; when he was done he sighed again, but never looked up from the bowl, "Because... I was there when they did that... and they did that because of me." He whispered in regret.

"That? Another codey thing? What's it stand for?" Sonic asked, still examining his empty plate as though he expected it to just grow food for him.

The dark hedgehog just remained in silence, hoping that the other creature would leave it to be. It pained him to remember it all. A pain that he couldn't soothe in any way.

"Hey... Shadow...?" Sonic's brow furrowed, as he gazed at the expression the other wore. "... oh. It's that bad, huh?" He stood up, slowly, and crossed around the table.

The black one slowly raised his head and looked at Sonic, eyes filled with long repressed pain.

Sonic put both hands on Shadow's shoulders, fighting a wince at the agony he could tell the black hedgehog was in. "What'd they DO to you?"

The ebony creature looked away, "Like I said before, it's none of your business. Leave it be."

"I'm a hero, Shadow. It's practically my religion. I can't help you if I have no idea what's going on..." He frowned. "I mean, I hate seeing you like this..."

"Even heroes wont be able do undo what happened in the past."

Damn, why was he pressing into this matter? Couldn't he just let it alone?

"Maybe I can't... but I can try to give you a better future... right?" Sonic sighed. "Look, I know you really don't want to talk about this... and for now, I'll respect that, okay?" He took one hand off Shadow's shoulder and let it fall to his side. "I don't like it, but you are still healing mostly. I have a feeling I'll find out what you're so torn up about sooner or later..."

The black hedgehog nodded, grateful that the other had stopped asking for the near future, then he stood up and wobbled into the living room to reach the couch. However, during the short travel, he found himself starting to see spots all around; he was still to weak to walk around, and if he didn't reached the couch in time, he would be falling unconscious on the ground.

Sonic didn't wait for him to fall, his hands were there to steady and support seconds after he saw Shadow beginning to sway. With a gentle push here and there, he guided the hedgehog back to the couch and sat him down.

The moment Shadow was sitting, he felt better, but whatever energy was in his body at that point had vanished. Yet, he was not sleepy.

"You okay?" Sonic took his hands away from the tired hedgehog, blinking in question. "You look dead on your feet."

"Just... very tired... that's all." He answered back in his whispered tone.

"You sound it..." Sonic murmured, grabbing the disregarded blanket from the couch and offering it to the tired looking Shadow. "You look it too. Chances are you'll need a bit more sleep before feeling back up to strength, however strong you normally are."

Shadow nodded, "Maybe you're right. I'll lay down a little longer." He answered laying down on the couch on his back and placing an arm over his eyes; seconds later, he was already asleep.

"He's worse than Tails..." Sonic mumbled, shaking his head, affectionately recalling the numerous times Tails had fallen asleep over his projects and Sonic had been forced to move him to his cot.

"Which reminds me... hafta check and make sure he ate the food he took down..."

-*-

In the workshop, the fox was busy working on a blueprint, but at the same time, he was eating the almost cold food. His ears perked up as he heard someone walk down the stairs.

"I notice you're not finished with it..." Sonic reached over the fox's shoulder and stole a bean for the chilidog. "And it seems to be cold..." He gave the kit a reproachful look.

The fox smiled and scratched his head, "Sorry Sonic, been busy with this new blueprint." He said motioning the sheet of paper on the desk.

"So, how is our guest doing?"

"Blue print shmu-print, I refuse to let you starve yourself." He moved the papers out of the way and set the food directly in front of him. "And Shadow's asleep. Now eat, before you drop from malnutrition."

Tails sighed and took the spoon, "Ok, ok. I was going to eat anyway." He muttered starting to eat.

"So, Shadow is already asleep? I was wondering when he would collapse from exhaustion again. He's a wonder. I never saw someone manage to stand up on his own so early when two days before he was almost dying of blood loss and all..."

"Besides me? And Knuckles? Hell, Knuckles was sparring with me last time, remember? He was practically buried under all that rubble and his legs were gone. I almost LOST." Sonic held his head in shame.

Tails sighed, remembering well that episodes, "Well, I was talking about his healing rate. He is healing faster than anyone I've ever seen. Faster than you and Knuckles, which if I remember correctly, are both fast healers." He explained.

Sonic raised an eyebrow, "Faster than me? Well, that sucks. I mean it's good for him but... yeah. Maybe it has something to do with the whole mysterious past thing... which reminds me. You ever heard of something called GUN?"

Tails raised an eyebrow, "You mean the Guardian Units of Nations? Yes, they are a military faction that is directly under the president's orders. They won't move without a word from him."

"According to Shadow, they're the people who're after him. And they don't follow the President. Some sort of evil conspiracy bit, or something 'long those lines." The hero shrugged. "And then old 'Botty in the Coocoo is after him too..." Sonic did a loop on the side of his head to indicate just how crazy he believed Robotnik to be.

The fox stopped eating the remains of the soup and looked at Sonic, "Are you serious? GUN is know for being highly dependent on the president's words."

"Then either Shadow's a crazed convict out for 'Botnick, which I sincerely doubt, or he's right and they're uncover lunatics." Another shrug. "Either way, it's crazy. Oh, and did you ever look up the 'nameless, shapeless, ancient evil-thing' that Shadow said was after him?"

Tails sighed deeply, "Yes, but I found little to nothing regarding it. It seems to be something like Chaos, but instead of controlling water, it appears to be able to control fire. I don't know how though. That..." He trailed off, searching for other informations he could have stored in his mind, but found nothing. "... is the only thing I found."

"So, we've got another Chaos? Ugh, of all the things... why doesn't Eggman just learn the past and give up... ah well." Sonic tugged on his own ear for a minute or two, thinking. "Whatever this thing is, Shadow did say there's an incantation for it... think you'll be able to find it? More than likely the good Doctor pilched it from a museum somewhere..."

Tails shrugged and took the bowl with the now cold soup back in his hands, "I can try, but I assure you nothing. It was already hard to find that little information on his creature..." He said before he started finishing his food once and for all.

Sonic took hold of the plates. "One of these days, I'm going to drag you out of this place and force you to start exercising more. You work too much, lil bro." He ruffled the foxling's hair.

"Awww..." Tails moaned, "You know me, Sonic. I love tinkering with machines."

"I know, I just think sometimes you prefer the machines to me. Ah, my greatest foe. I'm losing my best pal here!" Sonic grinned, and turned to go. "I'm going to go check on the patient. Something tells me he's probably chewing on my blanket."

"What makes you think so?" Was the quick answer/question coming from the fox.

Sonic's smile turned sheepish. "The fact that he eats, looks, and sleeps a lot like me, and if I know anything at all about myself, I'D be chewing on the blanket by now. Or at least talking in my sleep."

Tails dropped his ears and shook his head, then went back working on his blueprints.

-*-

Like Sonic had guessed, Shadow was now having a nightmare, and if he had the energy, he would be trashing around a lot. However, he could only twitching and morphing his face in a mask of pain, fear and rage.

Sonic almost dropped the dishes he was carrying when he saw Shadow, not expecting the other hedgehog to look like his death was bearing him into a corner. Rushing to the dark hedgehog's side, he shook him as gently as possible, just rough enough to try and rouse him before he fell off the couch and hurt himself.

"Shadow, wake up! It's a dream!!"

Shadow was too much in his dream to feel the shaking; he arched his back and let out a quiet cry of despair, then went still once again, but his eyes were slowly releasing tears of emotional pain.

Sonic drew back slowly, trying to figure out what to do. Tails didn't usually have nightmares, when the foxling slept, he was usually dead to the world, and Knuckles... well, he'd never even SEEN the Echidna actually sleep, for that ruled him out.

A thought jumped into his mind.

'Usually calms Tails down...' He reached out and gently rubbed Shadow's closest ear, pinning the hedgehog's shoulder to the couch so he wasn't squirming anymore.

"Shadow, can you hear me? Wake up, okay?"

The black hedgehog's ears twitched around; he didn't wake up, but he appeared to have stopped crying. He mumbled out something, but it was far too feeble and garbled to understand.

Moving his head to the side, he slightly leaned into the rubbing.

Sonic decided to settle for what he could get. A somewhat solemn smile crept its way onto his muzzle as he continued the ear rub, letting his fingers trail down a little ways to scratch the fur behind the ear.

It seemed that the black hedgehog was really enjoying the attention as it made him shift from nightmare state to a more peaceful slumber.

Sonic sunk down beside the couch, alternating between ears. The black hedgehog finally seemed more relaxed, but Sonic wanted to be sure before he stopped. Plus, the peaceful expression Shadow wore was... entertaining in a way...

Shadow sighed a little and mumbled out something incoherent; he seemed to be in a status where he could partially interact with Sonic, even if he was asleep.

Sonic paused in his ministrations, wondering what that last slew of words might have meant. Translating Shadow's mumbles was technically a dead end career, but it gave him something to do...

As he sensed that the stroking had stopped, the black creature mumbled out a protest accompanied by a frown on his face.

"Alright, alright..." Sonic smirked, returning to the previously halted tasked of scratching Shadow's ears. "But you owe me for this. If Knuckles even saw me, I'd be a laughing-stock."

Mumbling out something, Shadow seemed to ask him something.

"What was that?" Sonic leaned closer, ears perked in an attempt to hear better, switching between the ears again. "Come again, didn't quite catch..."

The black hedgehog, shifting around a little and letting his head fall sideways to face towards Sonic, mumbled out once again, asking him what he should owe him.

Sonic was startled, to say in the least. "You really owe me nothing, it's just a way of saying... well, I don't... really know what it says. Just a saying I guess..." He shrugged, and in doing so, removed his hand from the other's ear for a moment.

Shadow mumbled out an understanding, then shifted on his side and curled up under the blanket, unaware that the movement could open his wounds once again.

Sonic, however, was well aware, and gently uncurled the hedgehog. "You can't do that, Shadow. Sorry, but comfortable as in might be, we don't want you bleeding again..."

The black one mumbled out another protest and tried to stay curled up as best as he could.

"Shadow..." Sonic scolded, reaching up to scratch his ear again. "It's for your own good. You've been doing really well so far, and if you open your injuries, you'll hafta start all over. Which means sucking nothing but soup and falling down every time you stand."

Shadow curled a little more and started releasing tears of fear, "But they will come to get me..." He whined out so softly that it was almost impossible to hear.

"Shh... shh..." Sonic's free hand drifted down on the other's shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly. "Don't worry, we won't let anything happen. We kept them away before, didn't we? Shh..." He left the ear be and wiped the tears away, "Please stop crying, it's alright..."

"They wont stop..." He whispered releasing more tears; since he was asleep, he wasn't conscious to the fact that he was talking with the blue hedgehog. With his mind, he had gone back in time, back in his past, and maybe he believed to be talking with someone else he knew.

"Neither will we. We won't let anything happen, Shadow." Sonic tried to smile, though he knew the sleeping furry couldn't see. "Promise. They'll never get past us. We've taken down water monsters, robots, and the works. Nothing they can throw at us that we can't beat."

"They won't stop... never... they want me back..."

Talk about talking when asleep; this was pure and simple conversation...

"They'll have to deal with the fact that we're not letting them take you then." Sonic titled his head slightly, trying to think of more to say. "I've told you before I'm hard to beat, Shadow. I doubt they can do anything I can't top."

Shadow relaxed more, but still couldn't stop his tears, "I don't want... to be... sealed away again..." He whispered.

"You won't be." He eased a little closer, still unsure of how to reassure the dark hedgehog. "It's my job to make sure that people like you never have to suffer. You know, as a hero and all..."

His ears disappeared into his quills and he sighed. "I'm just... sorry I didn't know about this sooner...I could've helped you before now... but whatever they did to you... I'll make sure it never happens again, okay? Please... just don't cry... I hate that..."

Shadow went dead silent, accepting the fact that his interlocutor would do everything in its power to help him, yet, he couldn't stop those tears; it was like they were automatic, literally out of his control.

"Shh..." Sonic drew the hedgehog closer and, sitting on the couch's edge, getting move Shadow's head so he was leaning against him, proceeding to continue the ears scratching. "It's okay... everything's okay..."

The black hedgehog unconsciously slightly burrowed his head into Sonic and mumbled out something self-loathing about an incident.

"Don't think about it... whatever happened, I'm sure it wasn't your fault... just sleep, okay? The more rest you get... the better off you'll be later..." Sonic ran a hand through the other hedgehog's quills, finger-combing them gently. 'Note to self, never become a therapist...'

There were some seconds of silence before Shadow hid his face on the other hedgehog's chest, "You weren't there fifty years ago..."

That came out so muffled that to an untrained ear it would be just an incoherent mumble.

Sonic seemed to wilt. "Fifty... years?" Shadow couldn't be fifty years old. Sure, the speed issue seemed a little out-there, but being over fifty years, and still looking like a teen? Where'd he get the youth cream, cause Sonic was sure they didn't sell it in K-Mart.

"What happened, Shadow... fifty years ago...?"

"Ark... Incident..."

These were the last words before the dark creature closed his mind once again, thus falling into a deep dreamless state.

Before hearing that part about Shadow's past, Sonic would've been overjoyed that the hedgehog was finally sleeping peacefully. But now, running his fingers through the dark hedgehog's upturned quills, more questions about him coursed through his subconscious.

He almost got to his feet to ask Tails to search for info on the Ark Incident Shadow spoke of, but restrained himself. If Shadow broke out into another fit... well, Sonic wanted to be there to help. Since he wasn't there before...

As if he had heard his thoughts, Tails surfaced from his workshop to look for something in his room; when he was in the living room, the kit raised an eyebrow at the blue hedgehog in confusion.

Sonic was still looking downward at the sleeping hedgehog, and so didn't notice Tails, concentrating too hard on the questions in his mind, and continually playing in his charge's 'hair.'

The fox walked behind the blue hedgehog and placed a hand on his shoulder, "Sonic, what's up?" He asked concerned.

"Gah!!" The hero gave an immediate start. "Oh... it just you Tails... sorry bout that... wasn't paying attention..." He smiled sheepishly, forcing his hand to stop finger-combing.

Tails sighed, feeling somewhat relieved that Sonic was being his usual; but his curiosity was killing him. He had never seen the blue hedgehog so deep in thought.

"Sonic? Why were you so deep in thought?"

"He was having a nightmare Tails..." Sonic looked down at the slumbering furry. "He was talking in his sleep... he kept talking about how scared he was that he'd have to go back to those people who were after him..."

"He was... going on about something that happened fifty YEARS ago... but like it was only yesterday... I mean..." He flicked at one of Shadow's stray quills. "... he was CRYING, lil bro..." Sure enough, the smeared tears streaks were still visible on the dark tan muzzle.

Tails had to do a double take, "Wait. Did you say fifty years ago as in five decades, or half a century ago?" He asked trying to understand if he had heard correctly or wrong.

"Fifty years, yeah. Sounds crazy, I know. He sounded so scared Tails..." Sonic was still trying to get over it. "He was talking about an incident. 'Ark Incident.' Rings any bells? You're the researcher here..."

The fox subsided his shock and started searching his brain for something regarding this 'Ark Incident', "Ark, Ark, Ark... no, I don't think I've heard about something like that."

On the couch, Shadow jumped as he dreamed about something that made his nerves go on end.

"Gah! Watch your quills, Shadow!!" The hero growled toward the slumbering hedgehog. "Geez!!" He quickly resumed scratching behind Shadow's ears to calm him down again, speaking to Tails as he did so. "Yeah well, I'm not sure about it either... not sure how he lived for fifty years, but hey, weirder things have happened..."

Tails sighed discouraged, "Has he said more regarding this stuff?" He asked in hope to get more information about this whole story, "Even the smallest detail will help me a lot figure it out."

"Mostly, he implied something horrible happened before we met him. What, he didn't say, but it's prolly what make him so... uptight about talking..." Sonic turned a regretful gaze on the black and red furry. "It's... like he hates himself for it..."

"He didn't say anything about how he supposedly passed these fifty years?"

"He did say he didn't want them to 'seal him away' again." Sonic put a thoughtful finger to his mouth. "Whatever that means. Could be similar to what happened with Chaos and Tikal with the Emeralds though, remember?"

Tails put a hand under his chin and supported it with the other, "I don't think so. He's chased by humans, and humans don't have that kind of power. But maybe... maybe..." He muttered as his tails moved frenetically behind him.

"Someone's about to start spouting techno-babble..." Sonic said, resting his elbow on his leg and chin on his fist. "Do me a favor, and translate it into English before-hand, okay?"

The fox looked at him a little hurt, but since it was Sonic, he sighed and sat on the coffee table, "In few words, it could be possible that Shadow was sealed into a cryogenic capsule for fifty years, and released only now. But there's a big problem with this theory."

"Cryogenic capsules are just a fantasy. Many have tried to place into a cryogenic sleep small animals, but they all died before even reaching the cryogenic status... Scientist couldn't keep the animals alive meanwhile they were frozen. Even if the body was in perfect status, the brain just went plain dead."

"Well, maybe these... GUN people found a way?" Sonic waved his hand absently. "I mean... cryo-gin-whastis... they can't be that hard to make right? You're worked miracles with the military and civilian transportation, and we know Robotnik's good with tapping into the most available energy sources, lame as his robots are..."

"There's probably some wacko scientist out there somewhere who's figured it out... or maybe they just threw him in an icebox?"

The fox kit looked at him in the eyes, then at the sleeping form of the black hedgehog, "Who knows, I'll be sure to do a research on all this. I might find something out. Or maybe Shadow here could tell us everything..."

"I dunno about that, lil bro..." Sonic sighed, sounding defeated. "The guy's more locked up than Knuckles, and you know how Red is when he doesn't want to talk to you. Shadow practically begged me to stop asking him about what had happened... threatened to have you brain probe him though..."

Tails smiled a little, "You should try to make him talk about it. Whatever happened, it will do only good for him to tell someone about it. However, you have to be careful. A wrong move and he'll probably push you away."

"I noticed..." Sonic nodded absently, a frown on his face. "How long do you think it'll take? ... him getting better, I mean?"

"Depends on how much he was traumatized back then." The fox answered truthfully.

Shadow chose that moment to mumble out something else before shifting a little more and stretching the scrubs on his torso, nearly breaking them.

Sonic heaved a loud sigh, and shifted beneath Shadow, trying to move the quills from poking into him. "So you're saying that he'll be the one who decides whether or not he comes through this without handicaps? Ouch! Man, these are sharp!" He lifted Shadow's head and upper back to reposition him. "You'd think he'd, I dunno, dull them or something..."

Tails only shrugged, not knowing what would happen in the near future with the black hedgehog; sighing one more time, the fox watched the clock on the wall in front of him, "Almost six in the afternoon," He said thoughtfully, then he returned his eyes on the blue hedgehog, "If you need me, I'm on my PC, trying to find something about this Ark Incident." He said trotting away.

'Wow... six already? Time flies when you're patient's depressed...' Sonic bit his lip looking down at the sleeping hedgehog. 'I wonder... if he's still dreaming...' Leaning a little closer, Sonic began to carefully examine the healing wounds, but suddenly noticed. 'The burns... and most of the scars! They're gone...?!'

Shadow mumbled out something else and moved his head so he was facing the blue hedgehog; a twitch here and there on his face confirmed the fact that he had returned to dreaming.

Sonic was still busy examining the chest area of Shadow's bandages, amazed that there was next to nothing marring the hedgehog's flesh. It didn't even look like he was half-dead when Sonic dragged him home a few days before...

'Tails was right, he's the fastest healer by fair. It's almost like he never got scarred...' Sonic ran a hand over the ebony fur, feeling only a few jagged remains of the once wide gashes. 'He's something all right, can almost tell why the military's after him... could take out an army and be ready again the next week...'

He withdrew his hand to watch Shadow dream restlessly, frown growing deeper and more thoughtful. 'I'll bet it's about what GUN did to him, whatever it was...' His arm involuntarily went to the ear, rubbing gently. "Don't worry, Shadow..." His voice was a low whisper, not really meant to be heard...

"I'll protect you..."

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That's all you need to see. Okay, I'm tired. Go away.....and review...


	4. Chapter 4 — Good Intentions, Bad Results

OMG I have cookie dough!! VICTORY! *runs*

Sonic: -.- Well, since she's off being weird, I guess it's up to me to a) remind you that DragonXKS does not own the characters appearing in this story, except like...two, who'll come much later, and 2) warn you that this chapter contains...um..........well.....

Shadow: Me making an utter fool of you.

Sonic: Shut up.

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Chapter 4 - Good Intentions, Bad Results

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Shadow mumbled out something as he brought his right hand over his eyes to rub them. The last thing he remembered was laying down on the couch, then nothing...

Sonic wasn't so lucky as to be there when Shadow awoke this time. Unlike the dark hedgehog, Sonic was a little slower at healing, thus the scrapes and burns up and down his arms still needed to be taken care of.

"Ow! Dammit, leggo!!!"

"Sit still hedgehog." And who better to help take care of him than one of his friends?

The black hedgehog mumbled out something along the lines of 'Shut up' as his brain was in light pain and his ears seemed to perceive sounds triple their volume.

Damned headaches. Annoying as hell...

"Agh!! That burns!!" Sonic's voice escalated, like he was truly in pain. A dark chuckle followed the noise, obviously belonging to someone new. "Oh, so you think this is funny?! Don't go to sleep tonight, Knuckles!"

"Is that supposed to be a threat?"

Getting fed up, the black hedgehog sat up, "Sonic!" He half-screamed in his now restored voice, which had a dark tone, well matching his looks.

Silence immediately reigned throughout the house. Then what sounded like a stampede of feet thundered up the stairs. The hero finally appeared, skidding to a stop on the bare wooden floor, before looking around, somewhat bewildered. Finally, his eyes rested on Shadow, and he gave an ashamed smile, a hand disappeared behind his head.

"Oh...um...hey Shadow.....you rang?"

The black one sighed and returned laying down, "Next time you complain about something, do it in a softer voice, please..." He said replacing his right arm over his eyes to block the stinging light and ease his headache.

"Ah... sorry about that... really..." Sonic truly did look like he meant what he said, his eyes downcast as he shifted somewhat nervously. Another person was coming up from the workshop, this one less rushed than Sonic had been.

"I see your guest has finally awoken." The crimson furry was looking Shadow over with a critical gaze. "Are you sure he was on the brink of death when you brought him here, Sonic? You've been known to over-emphasize injury..." A meaningful look toward the hero.

"Stuff it, Red." Sonic shot back, glaring.

Shadow sighed, even the smallest noise temporarily increased his headache, "Yes, I was on the brink of death, but I'm a fast healer." He said, cutting it short.

Sonic was grinning triumphantly at the Guardian, who didn't so much as flinch, nor lose his own smirk. "Well...I guess Sonic had to do something right at least once in his entire life." The hero's mouth fell open, gaping at the Echidna, as though the hedgehog would've liked nothing more than to skin and wear the fanged treasure-hunter as a coat.

"Come on, Sonic, let's finish up, quietly this time. And if I have to, I'll tell Tails the medicine needs to be administered by a needle again..."

Sonic paled visibly, and began slowly inching for the door. The Guardian didn't move, knowing that stepping even an inch forward would make the hedgehog run. And as tantalizing as making Sonic go crashing into the door was, he knew the hedgehog could be back on his feet and outside in an instant.

The dark one, sensing that Sonic was inching away, grabbed one of his legs, trapping him on the spot, "You don't know how bad burns are when they get infected. You should do as your friend asks. Trust me." He said seriously.

He knew that pretty well because he had a past experience with them.

"But Shaaaadooooow..." The sapphire whined, then hissing toward Knuckles, "...he's evil...." Sonic tried to tug his leg out of the other's grasp, only to lose his balance when the grip didn't loosen and fall into a seating position on the floor. "Agh..." He tried to push himself up before Knuckles took advantage, but it was too late.

"Need some help?" Sonic found himself up off the floor and over the Echidna's shoulder. "Ah!! No fair!!"

The black hedgehog hinted a small smile, then sighed and resumed dozing off.

Silently, the echidna dragged Sonic back downstairs, "So, you really did tell the truth..."

Sonic plucked grudgingly at the Echidna's dreadlocked quills, careful not to cut himself on the sharp edges. He was pouting, debating not answering, but gave in. "Of course I told the truth. When was the last time I actually lied to you? And the tree branch doesn't count, because you seriously were asking for that one."

Knuckles sighed and shook his head, ignoring the tugging on his dreadlocks, "But it is difficult to believe such thing... no one is capable of such healing..."

"Shadow is." He noticed the Guardian was ignoring his tries at annoying him and cautiously wrapped a hand around one particularly long, thick spine, pulling it gently. "I mean, unless his wounds and stuff are fake or something....doubt that though..."

The Guardian stopped in front of the table and placed the blue hedgehog on it, "Does he has other tricks up his sleeve or he has just that?"

Sonic felt the quill slip out of his hands and fought the urge to snatch it again. It would only bring about another fight, and as much as he enjoyed pushing Knuckles' buttons, he didn't want Tails to come home and have Knux pin him down for another shot. Better to take the lesser of the two evils...

Knuckles sighed, "Answer me, Sonic. Does Shadow has something else than just fast healing?" He asked again picking up the antiseptic.

Sonic looked away, pretending to not have heard. He swung his legs, trying to seem as though he was studying the ceiling. And the floor! Oh wow, how it looked interesting today...

Knuckles grabbed the blue hedgehog's left hand and started working on it with the antiseptic, "Answer me, Sonic." He said with a tone that negated everything but an answer.

Sonic flinched. "He told me he could break the sound barrier. There! Are you happy?" He turned his head toward the opposite wall and glared at it, wincing as the burns were taken care of.

The red echidna stopped momentarily, "He can break... the sound barrier?" As soon as he subsided his light shock, he resumed working on Sonic's burns.

"I thought that you were the only one to be able to do that."

"Guess not." Sonic shrug then gasped, "Geez! Watch it, Red!" He tried to tug the hand out of the Guardian's grip, but continued speaking. "Anyway, we don't really have a reason to distrust Shadow, and everything he's said so far hasn't really been countered....I think he's trustworthy..."

"I don't know, Sonic. He clearly hide something, and I don't like this at all... There seems to be a little too many coincidences in this story..."

"Hmmm...it was coincidence I met you. And Tails too. And that I happened to be the one who could run faster than both of you." Sonic grinned as much as he could while Knux cleaned his burns. "And again, it was coincidence that I was there in the right place to save Shadow."

The red echidna hummed, "Whatever, still.... he's hiding something." He said starting to bandage Sonic's left hand and forearm.

"This from the one who growls at anyone who asks about the weather?" Sonic teased. "I mean, you almost killed me........three times before actually telling me your name. At least with Shadow, I wasn't the one bed-ridden."

Knuckles shook his head and started working on Sonic's other hand, "No, Sonic. That hedgehog hide something important."

Sonic flexed his hand to keep the bandage from cutting off his circulation. Knuckles had a tendency to tie bandages too tightly, though it was half Sonic's fault, ever since the incident where he ripped his bandages off while neither Tails or Red was looking, simply because they were annoying.

"Tails said the same thing you know.....everyone seems to want Shadow to talk about this, but......."

Knuckles finally stopped cleaning the hedgehog's forearm and started bandaging it, "But?"

"Just leave him, Knux.....whatever it is....it's tearing him apart, and...." His shoulders slumped. "Let him decide when he wants to talk about it..."

"Mmmhh..." Was all that the echidna said before finishing bandaging, "There. Done. Don't take these apart, or I'll tie you to a bed until they're healed."

Sonic gave him a devilish grin. "Issat a promise?" He asked, waggling his eyebrows at him.

The Guardian looked at him in the eyes dead serious, "Yes."

"Fine." The hero crossed his arms and pouted. "But I don't understand how you can be so suspicious of me, though. I'm the epitome of innocence."

"I'm not sure of that, Sonic." Was the answer of the echidna, "Everything but innocent."

Fake disbelief. "How can you say that? I've never been anything more..." He hopped down off the table. "...than a sweet, sensitive, loveable, cuddly hero with a heart of gold! Unlike a certain conniving, sadist harpy of an Echidna we all know..." He poked the scarlet furry's chest, right on the crescent mark, for added emphasis.

"Yeah, yeah..." Knuckles said waving the hedgehog off and returning upstairs; he instantly noticed that Shadow was sitting normally on the couch, with his elbows on his knees and his hands under his chin. His face was of one deep in thought.

Sonic stuck his tongue out at the Echidna's retreating back, and turned from the door, waiting for his footsteps to fade before turning to look after him, the mischievous smile returning. Without making a sound, because he knew the step like his own shoes, he crept up the stairs after the Guardian. 'This is what you get, sadist....'

The black hedgehog moved his eyes to look at the Guardian, "Yes?" He asked without shoving emotions.

"Sonic tells me...that you can break the sound barrier?" The Guardian crossed his arms, moving the spikes out of the way so he didn't puncture himself, and staring down the black and blood red hedgehog across the room.

Shadow didn't move a muscle, "Yes." It was his quick answer.

"How?" If Shadow wanted to be blunt, Knuckles would play the game. He had experience with hedgehogs, and though Shadow leaned less toward Sonic's more annoying, bright personality, Knuckles was fully prepared to take him on.

"On my own feet and legs. That's how."

If before he didn't think anything about the Guardian, now he quite disliked him.

"That's obvious enough. Sonic wouldn't be so shaken, if it were any other way." Knuckles' eyes glinted, though the sunlight didn't reach them from the window. "What I'm asking is how did you learn?"

"Was.... 'born' with it." He answered half truthfully.

"Then you're just like Sonic, are you?" Knuckles hid the surprise from his voice. He'd suspected that the hedgehog had been taught, perhaps pushed himself the limits until he broke through, as Tails, as Knuckles himself had done. 'He could still be lying...' Something about Shadow told the Guardian he wasn't though...

The black hedgehog closed his eyes, "Maybe I'm more, maybe I'm like him. Who knows." He muttered barely audible.

"I had hoped you did." Knuckles answered, his tone matching Shadow's, just as silent. He leaned against the doorframe to the stairs. "He's quite taken with you..."

"What you mean?" He asked a little curiously.

"Sonic." Knuckles was tugging at his own dreads, now realizing that Sonic had been tying them into a knot. 'When I get my hands on him.....'

"What about him?" He asked opening his eyes and looking at the echidna in the eyes.

"....Sonic....has a tendency to see the good in people." The red Guardian gave a tug on one of the tied dreadlocks to loosen it, and winced. "He trusts others very easily....tells me often that I'm too suspicious of strangers, and even the people I already know. I almost killed him when we first met, and at any time I could reach out and snap his neck."

"Do you know why I don't?"

"No, but why are you telling me these things? I have nothing to do with it."

Knuckles seemed to ignore him. "I don't because he trusts me. Trust is a very fragile bond, broken quickly, and one I have come to believe should be earned. Yet, Sonic gives it freely. And he trusts you." He shook the dreads loose. "I've called Sonic a fool...more than once....for giving such a valuable gift without cost. Such people are broken quickly, just like their bonds...."

He looked Shadow in the eyes fully. "I don't want Sonic broken."

The black hedgehog closed his eyes, "Then it is your duty to protect him from me. Even if I would never hurt him, he will be hurt the same for I am a bringer of despair and destruction." He said sounding a little regretful.

"I plan to." Knuckles might have said more, except for the fact that Sonic chose that exact moment to act out his evil plot.

"Gotcha!!" He yelled, tackling the Echidna to send them both rolling into the living room, a little ways away from the couch, Sonic landing on top, with the victim facedown. "Give up Red!" He noticed the treasure-hunter's free-flowing dreads. "Aww, you undid the braid..."

"Get off of me you little idiot!!" Knuckles growled, trying to roll over and dislodge the little beast on his back. "And if you mean that knot you put in my quills, yes I did!"

"Well then!" Sonic grinned, grabbing a handful of the crimson spines and yanking. "I'll just make you another!!"

"Don't you dar---Ow! Let go!"

Shadow hinted a small smile; as much as he wanted to remain with the blue hedgehog, he couldn't, and he would leave as soon as he was able to. Maybe in the night so he wouldn't be stopped or asked why.

"Say it!"

"Never you little monster! Get where I can reach you so I can wring your scrawny little neck!!" The Echidna made a backward grab, but Sonic moved in time.

"Now why would I do that? C'mon! Say it, you know I've won!" Another tug.

"You stop that Sonic, or there'll be a needle in you before this day is over!!!"

Tails chose that moment to return home; when he saw the two on the ground he sighed, "Sonic. Stop acting like a child." He admonished.

"This from you...." Sonic huffed and released Knuckles dreadlocks, pushing himself off of the fighter. Knuckles took a few minutes to straighten himself out a little then promptly jumped onto Sonic, twisting his arm behind his back.

"Your turn, hedgehog."

"Gah!!! Cheater!!"

"Not when you jumped me from behind. Say it."

"Ow! OW!! Dammit, Uncle! UNCLE!!" Knuckles pushed him, and though Sonic didn't pay attention, it was obvious the Guardian had done it as gently as possible.

"Knuckles! Not you too!" Tails exclaimed heatedly.

Shadow had his heart in pain; he wanted so much to be part of a family like that, but because of his origins, he would be never allowed to.

"Don't even pretend like he didn't deserve it, Tails." The Guardian pushed himself up, checking on Sonic, who glared at him from his spot on the floor. The treasure hunter shrugged absently.

"That's okay, Knux, cause now the hedgehogs in the house outnumber you." Sonic stuck his tongue out at the echidna. "You'll help me beat him up next time, won't you Shadow?" He grinned at the dark furry reclining on the couch.

The black hedgehog felt a pang of pain in his heart before closing his eyes, "I don't think so, Sonic, for I'll be going as soon as I can stand and you will never see me again." He said with dead flat voice.

Oh, how it pained him to say those words to the blue hedgehog, but since he couldn't afford to have Sonic get attached to him, he decided to be cold hearted so he wouldn't suffer when he would leave.

"Wha?" Sonic's ears fell flat. He stared for a while trying to understand, while the red furry standing nearby seemed indifferent. Sonic got his feet under him, groping slightly for a support, eyes wide in disbelief.

Shadow never opened his eyes as he would suffer upon seeing Sonic's expression, "It is... better for the both of us if I leave as soon as I'm able. I am... extremely dangerous."

"Shadow......hero here, hello." Sonic put his hands on his hips. "How many times have I said it now? Five, six?" He grinned. "You're my friend Shadow, but you've got a skull like a rock wall."

Knuckles coughed under his breath. "Says the ultimate climax in arrogance and stupidity...."

"I heard that...." Sonic growled at Knuckles. "But still, you don't have to keep worrying over me. And besides," A flash of mischief. "You can't hurt what you can't catch, now can you?"

The black hedgehog sighed inwardly, "You can't judge what you don't know, and since you don't know me and everything that surrounds me, I'll be leaving. It's better this way."

Sonic drooped slightly, but persisted. "And what about Robotnik? And the what-cha-macall-it he's sent after you? You said yourself that it, and those GUN people or whatever, are never going to stop coming after you..."

"I will find a good spot were to hide away from the world." He answered without moving a muscle.

"Here's a pretty good spot..." Sonic grumbled, crossing his arms and frowning deeply, his muzzle seeming somewhat marred by it. Knuckles shook his head slowly, dreads falling in front of his face, and reached out touching Tails on the shoulder.

"Lets leave them some time alone, alright?" He said to the kit in undertone, eyes fixed on Shadow, but flickering back to Sonic.

"Sonic, I wont change my mind. I will leave as soon as I'm able and that's it." He said, voice never faltering.

"Hey, I'm just pointing out facts. I'm practically a celebrity, so I have less chance to none of being searched, and my word stands good with the public. Also, all people resident can fully take care of themselves if something DOES happen, though it probably won't. And you've got a better percentage of survival here than just about anywhere else you pick."

"And while I know next to nothing about math, the equation of leaving here and roughing it on your own without at least a better plan than 'hiding somewhere' will equal sure suicide." His eyes narrowed. "And I don't want to turn on the news to hear a breaking story involving your mutilated body."

"Sonic, I told you before that you will never heard of me again. I'm unmovable on this decision. I prefer risking on my own that bringing here destruction and despair."

"And I mean it." He said after a small pause to prove his point.

"And I prefer not hearing the military gloat on having shot you down!" His hands came down onto the coffee table, his teeth gritted and eyes glaring. "And I mean it too."

Shadow never winced upon hearing the abrupt sound coming from the collision of Sonic's hands with the coffee table, "Even if they catch me, an improbable event, they wont spread the news as I am something that they wont let the world know of."

"Then how am I going to know you're alright?! You don't seem to get the fact that I'm worried about you! I find you half dead from burns and blood loss, and you expect me to let you walk out of here and not give it a second thought?!" Sonic was glaring a hole into the other hedgehog's eyes.

"What do you want me to think?! That you'll be just fine after you disappear out of here?!"

Shadow's eyes, even if fixed on the blue hedgehog's ones, never returned the gaze; they seemed focusing on nothing but thin air, "If that's the only thing that will make you let me go, then yes."

Sonic blinked for a little bit, trying to make sense of that answer. His confusion made his voice soften, and his edginess fade. "It's not something I can do, Shadow...I'm going to worry about you, whether you like it or not. And the same goes for you leaving....."

"You may be set on going, but as long as I have even the slightest doubt that you'll survive, I'll fight to keep you here, even if I have to break your legs and nail you to a wall."

Shadow closed his eyes, "You are resolute, Sonic, but like your red friend says, you trust unknown people too much... what makes you think that I'm a good guy?"

"You haven't killed me yet." Sonic shrugged, looking away, suddenly a little uncomfortable. "And when did you talk to Knuckles anyway? It was barely five minutes before I jumped him from downstairs, and Knuckles usually takes weeks to talk with other people."

"Your friend seems to talk a lot when he's concerned about his friends. And meanwhile I haven't killed you, my hands are already dirty with blood."

"Whose blood are we talking about? The only stuff I saw of it was pretty much all yours." Sonic tilted his head. "You've given me no reason to distrust you, haven't hurt or stolen anything, and you're not ticking are you? No worries!"

"Yet I never gave reason to trust me. So leave it be. And, even if I never hurt anyone in front of you, there's still the fact that I have killed many people. And they deserved it."

He sighed a little, "Like I said before, Sonic, I'm not a good guy."

"You can't make me believe that, until I see it." Sonic persisted. "You just like Knuckles, a bull-headed idiot who can't get it through his thick skull that he doesn't deserve the death sentence for accidentally stepping on a flower."

Shadow reopened his eyes, a cold death glare directed to the blue hedgehog, "Do you want me to kill someone to prove that? I have no problem in doing that."

Sonic faltered, surprised that Shadow was talking about it so casually, without any sign of withdrawing the offer, but hardened. He was sure Shadow wouldn't go through with it. No matter how much of a 'bad guy' he insisted he was. "Fine. Try killing me."

Shadow closed his eyes, "I won't do that. If I did, you would never know it. Besides, you don't deserve death."

"See? Not a bad guy." Sonic propped himself on the coffee table, smiling, but only a little. "If you were as wicked as you seem to like you are, me being a hero would be plenty of reasons to kill me. I would mess up all of your evil plots."

"Is killing to survive an evil plot?"

"Erm...no..." He thought about it. "Justifiable I'd say, though I'd prefer not to not kill anyone at all, really....Knuckles would hit me if he heard that..." He looked around, noting that the Guardian and his younger friend had disappeared.

"Still, it makes me a heartless killer, and you can't do anything about that."

"I don't think it makes you heartless...not if there's a gun pointed to your head or something." He paused. "Doing what some people do and just killing for no reason, and just for personal gain...that's more along those lines."

Shadow opened again his eyes, utter rage and hate added to the cold death glare, "I killed for personal gain, to be more precise, I killed for revenge, and I will do it again. Thanks to the doctor, I'm free, and I will not stop until the last man of GUN fall dead at my feet." He said with cold voice.

"As you see, I'm heartless enough to do that."

"Um...okay, that's a little too much killing, Shadow..." Sonic winced. "I mean, okay, so they're not the greatest of people. What could they have done to deserve manslaughter?"

"Again, like I said before, this does not concern you."

"See, that's kinda where you're wrong, especially if you leave, go on your manhunt for revenge, start ripping off people's heads, and I'm the one that gets called in to put a stop to it." Sonic shuddered. "I'd hate fighting you, Shadow. The way me and Knuckles fight...that's okay. But fighting you because you're out to kill people....that'd suck..."

"You wont fight me Sonic. GUN will never ask help outside its own organization, or they will spill secret after secret, and they don't want this."

"Then why go barging in after them?" Sonic asked. "That's like jumping into the spike-bottom pit and hoping you don't land on them."

"Because, Sonic, I do not care of what will happen to me or those secrets. As long as I get my revenge, I'm satisfied with it."

"And the people who do care about you? What are they going to think?" Sonic's ear twitched just barely, his annoyance with Shadow's fatalistic attitude rising.

"The only people that cared for me died in front of me, trying to protect an assassin like me. And as an heartless killer, I will get my revenge. No matter what."

"Oh...." Suddenly the attitude and actions were explained. "And it was GUN who killed them, I guess..."

"Yes." Was Shadow's quick and cold answer, "So leave it be and let me go without complaining so much. We do not know each other that much to let you care about me."

"It's not a matter of knowing you, so much as.....knowing you exist. I care about just about everyone I meet, and even the people I don't." Sonic gestured toward the window. "I don't save the world for kicks, though laughing in Eggman's face over his latest defeat is somewhat gratifying..."

"Point is, I wouldn't save this planet over and over if I didn't care...just a little bit."

Shadow sighed and slumped on the back of the couch, "Point is... that I was never meant to exist... thus never meant to be cared for, nor never meant to be saved." He whispered to himself.

"Then I guess I'm seriously breaking some great, cosmic rule here, aren't I?" Sonic looked thoughtful. "Hope I don't get struck by lightening..."

"You won't, but you will be struck by a bullet on your back by one of the many humans that you care about..."

He paused and looked at the ceiling, "That is called 'betrayal'. That is way you should never trust people who you just met."

Sonic shot Shadow a droll look. "I know what betrayal is, it happened before. But thank you for the advice, grim as it is." He burrowed his muzzle into his crossed arms. "You're so morbid, you act like you can't find at least one nice person to smile about."

"Leave it be, Sonic. Don't press the matter further or I will be leaving right now." Shadow answered tired of discussing with the blue hedgehog.

He closed his eyes and just remained there, wishing to have his revenge, to have never been brought to the world, to die and fade into darkness forever and forget everything. Even himself.

Sonic fell silent, dwelling on the topic in his head. Shadow seemed to enjoy being miserable, he resisted all efforts to be cheered, and insisted on thinking of the most horrid thoughts he could, and remained disclosed about anything but how much he despised himself and others....

The black hedgehog mentally sighed with relief as Sonic stopped his attempts to cheer him up and to have reason; he just wanted to be alone, as that it was his punishment for existing. Even if he disliked it.

Sonic gave a short huff before speaking again, suddenly unable to suppress the question. "It was the ARK Incident, wasn't it?"

Shadow's heart jumped abruptly as he heard those two fatal words; his eyes shot open at the maximum extent and he just looked onward, fixing his gaze on nothing but air. As soon as his shock subsided, he hunched over and hid his face in his hands and started shaking.

What would happen if Sonic knew his origins?

"How... how do you... know about it?" He managed to ask trough his fear filled mind.

Sonic was immediately infuriated with himself. He should've kept his mouth shut and walked away, should've let Shadow get himself killed. Dammit, why was he so stupid?! He chose to use the truth for now, Shadow looked like he was on the edge of a mental breakdown.

"You kinda...talk in your sleep..."

Shadow just remained silent and kept shaking visibly, trying hard to not move or think as that would result into unknown actions from his end.

He could simply break down and cry till there was no tear left in him, he could run away and kill himself or his targets in spite of his emotions that were running through his mind, or worse, he could snap out of rage and kill Sonic in a matter of a second without realizing it.

Sonic moved slowly, quietly toward the couch, sure that any second now, Shadow would start yelling at him for prying. Would get to his feet and walk out of the workshop, maybe toss Sonic down the steps a few times to teach him when was a good time to leave well enough alone.

Instead, Shadow just kept still, afraid that if he moved a muscle, his shocked mind would switch to instinct mode and do something that he would greatly regret.

"What's wrong....what happened, Shadow...?" Sonic reached out, slowly running his hand across Shadow's middle quill, though instinct told him that if he didn't move, his remains would be mailed of in a little envelope. Somehow, though, he didn't care. "You have to tell someone, sometime, Shadow...fifty years is a long time to keep things locked away.."

As he felt a hand on top of his quills, Shadow's mind unfroze by a little; he moved his mouth, but nothing came out of it. It was like everything was locked deep inside him.

"You don't have to talk now...and you don't have to talk to me...but, you'll have to let it out, Shadow, it already looks like it's trying to tear you apart at the seams..." Sonic continued, thoroughly ignoring the little voice in his head telling him to run like hell.

Shadow abruptly stood up, shoving the blue hedgehog to the ground without much care, then he closed his eyes, a small tear running down his cheek that faced Sonic, and just disappeared into green light.

---------------  
Teheeee... I deleted the last phrase so the suspense is greater, don't you think so? MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!

Sonic: I vote we run, before they get to the scary chapters.

Shadow: I agree o.o


	5. Chapter 5 — A Demon’s Madness

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Chapter 5 — A Demon's Madness

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"....The base itself appears to be standing, but there is no sign of life anywhere on these blood splattered walls. Corpses appear to range in battery, everything from torn in half, to ripped inside out. Ah! Here we have an officer; perhaps we can get a comment on this monstrosity!"

Sonic held his head in his hands, not wanting to look at the screen in front of him. Knuckles stood nearby, the remote in hand, looking at Sonic without emotion, unless you looked him straight in the eyes.

The hero had stayed up all night outside of the workshop, trying his best to find Shadow, and then resigned himself to wait for him to come back. He'd only left his post minutes ago, when Knuckles dragged him inside.

"Sir! Sir!! Can you tell us wha---?"

"GUN has no comment to offer the press at this time."

"But surely there's a sus---"

"An unfortunate occurrence, nothing more than a chemical accident."

"But the bodies…!?!"

"The officers mauled each other to death. That is all." The television went mute with a soft clicking sound, and Knuckles turned on Sonic, the hedgehog still shaken and staring at the floor.

Knuckles sighed softly, "You know something, and don't make up excuses. I know you too well and I can tell when you lie to me." He said, a little angrily.

Sonic remained silent, trying to draw into himself. Maybe Knuckles would go away if he pretended not to hear? No, he knew the other furry was far too stubborn for that to work. Then again, Sonic was desperate for him to leave him alone.

Suddenly he knew how Shadow felt.

The red echidna kneeled in front of the hedgehog and placed his hands on the his shoulders, "Sonic, I know you can hear me perfectly. Now, tell me what you know."

He waited, then sighed at Sonic's mute response, "It might help me find him." Deep down, he knew that Shadow was deep involved into this.

Sonic focused on the floor harder, suddenly realizing what Knuckles had said. Knux was good at tracking, if he knew where to start, and if he found the hedgehog, less of a chance of GUN getting hold of him.

"He said....they killed his family..." Sonic dug his fingers into his quills, ignoring the sharp tingling as the spine scraped against his thin gloves. "He's out for revenge..."

The Guardian nodded, then stood up and walked to the door, "Stay here, Sonic. I will find him." He said disappearing into the morning.

Sonic blinked, noticing the absence of Knuckles' voice. Stay here? Did the Echidna not know who he was talking to?! He wasn't going to sit here and wait if he had the chance to get out there and find Shadow before the streaked hedgehog got himself killed. Hadn't Knuckles learned that by now? Of course, going after him would mean a sock in the mouth later...

So Sonic did exactly what Knuckles had told him to do. He stayed right there in the workshop, staring at the ground until a grin crossed his face.

After all, Knuckles hadn't specified how long he was supposed to stay....

-------------------------

It took the echidna hours to finally find the general direction Shadow had gone, but in the end he found that the hedgehog had gone into a nearby forest and advanced into its core.

Now it was late afternoon, and the echidna knew that he needed to find him fast as he sensed countless humans, grouped into squad of more 20 men, into the forest, armed with the most technological weapons, in search of the same being as him. They were silent, but he could hear their stealth movements through the forest itself.

"Spread out! He's here somewhere; there are Chaos Signatures all over this area!" One of the masked men ordered, pointing around the group of men. "Divide off into search teams of five each. Jones, Thomas, Kent, and Yeer are with me."

"Choose your partners carefully men, they'll be the only chance of survival you have in this forest."

Knuckles narrowed his eyes, Chaos Signatures? Were they tracking down Shadow following Chaos Signatures? How could that be possible?

The echidna sighed and concentrated, if that was true maybe...

And true it was. He could feel a strong, yet not as strong as a Chaos Emerald, but still strong, Chaos Signature towards the east. Was that really the black hedgehog?

The presumed leading official of the group, and his chosen followers, separated from the whole slowly, creeping through the underbrush in a strange, zigzagging line. After a short time of this, they paused, and the man at the front looked unsure under his helmet.

"What is it Jones?" The leader crossed to him, annoyance clear. The man looked baffled.

"Well sir, it's odd but....are we sure there's only one of these things?"

"Of course there's only one, you idiot!"

"But....there are three signals, sir...."

Shadow was slowly creeping around the forest as silent as a ghost; he knew that they were there for him, but that was their biggest mistake as he would rip them all apart with his own bloody hands.

As Knuckles eavesdropped on the nearest group, he heard the most terrifying screams coming from the east, followed soon by rapid gunfire.

He knew that Shadow had started taking them down again, and he needed to hurry up. With a small curse, he ran towards the source of the sounds.

"Captain!!! The target has been sighted!! Repeat, the target has been sighted!!!" The man whirled around as the second man fell, a platter of blood from his neck. "Request back-up immediately!!"

Suddenly, there was a scream of rage and more gunfire; it lasted only a few seconds, and again it was all silent.

Knuckles swore again as he had to change his course from east to north; the black hedgehog was fast, but how could he run that fast in that thick forest?

-------------------------

Sonic swore, finally untangling himself from the vines he'd caught his legs in, and effectively losing Knuckles. It had been harder than he thought, following the Guardian without him knowing, and it was getting harder in this dense forest.

"Whoever heard of vines in a temperate climate zone?!" He muttered, kicking the last bit away. "Now I've got to traipse this place looking for that red idiot! He just had to glide here, didn't he?!" A soft click caught his attention.

"Well...well...well...."  
Sonic felt all the blood drain his face. Something metallic pressed against the back of his head and he stiffened, afraid to move. Sure he could move faster than a bullet, but in this thick jungle he had a less than good chance of gaining enough speed to avoid being shot in the back.

"Turn around really slow, Project. We don't want any...unfortunate mishaps...."

'Crap....' Sonic turned, but kept his eyes searching around the trees and branches above. Maybe he could find Knuckles and get a little help...?

The human took out a handheld radio and pressed a button, "To all squads, reach point x15 y24, the Project is at gun point. Bring the necessary equipment." He said never looking away from what he believed was Shadow.

"You know, Project?" He continued smiling half content half wickedly, "You will earn me a promotion. Having captured the dangerous 'Project Shadow' single handedly."

Knuckles' head snapped upright, his unseen ears picking up the report from one of the two or three remaining groups of humans. He growled and set off quickly, ignoring everything else.

Sonic was busy resisting the urge to roll his eyes at the soldier. After all, he had the gun. Sonic was just the target. And chances were they trained to hit moving targets in whatever place they were taught to handle guns. He frowned slightly, noting that Knuckles was no where to be seen. Maybe he could talk his way out?

"Look, um...I'm sure you're thrilled and all, but...what if I was to tell you that...you might be a little off on your guess of hedgehog identities....?"

The human pressed the gun a little further into Sonic's head, "Shut up, Project. The likes of you are created to serve mankind, not to talk." He said angrily

"And you will serve me one last time, then we will seal you again until we will need your body again." He added.

"...okay, you're slightly on the edge and I'm sure we can find you a doctor for that. I happen to know quite a few, be happy to help you get an appointment." Sonic gestured for him to clam down. "Just lowered the gun, and we can talk about this like civilized, reasonable people, okay?"

As the human prepared to counter that, there were other screams and gunfire coming from north-west; at this he seemed confused, almost scared.

"If you're here, then... who's out there?"

The screams quickly faded away as the attacked group was whipped out; then, a few minutes' later, other screams were heard. Nobody had the time to do nothing but try to defend themselves.

The creepy thing was... that the pattern suggested that whoever was attacking with such brutality was coming towards the official and the blue hedgehog's position.

But before it was there, Knuckles arrived and came barreling down on the guard without much more warning than the creature attacking the other soldiers gave them. Instead of ripping him apart however, Knuckles smacked the side of the soldier's helmet, making the human crumbled in a second. Sonic gaped at first, then grinned.

"I knew you'd show up!" His enthusiasm was not shared by the scarlet warrior. He simply earned himself a heated glare.

"I told you to stay at the workshop!"

Sonic wilted immediately. "I...did stay...." Under Knuckles' continued gaze, he caved. "....for a little while..." He added meekly. Knuckles growled softly in reply.

Once more, screams erupted from the forest for barely a minute before everything went calm again; a group near the two tried to contact all the others, but it was a futile attempt as they were the last standing team.

"Gamma team calls base, Gamma team calls base." The leader of the group said in the radio.

There was some static, "Come in, Gamma team. What is the status of the operation?"

"We're the last standing team, and in a minute we will be wiped out unless you send other teams..."

Sonic's ears pricked up, and he started forward, but stopped when Knuckles' clawed hand grabbed his upper arm. The hero began to protest, but was silenced by the look Knuckles gave him.

"You're going to hide," He hissed. "And you will stay in said hidden spot until I say you can come out. Is that clear?"

His eyes fixated on the hedgehog and Sonic swallowed, before weakly nodding his head. Knuckles then released the arm and slunk forward into the trees toward the final group, making less noise than the wind through the trees, and never looking back to see if Sonic was following orders, because Sonic had already done so.

Shadow was running through the thick undergrowth, not caring of getting wounds or not; he knew that the last team was here somewhere. He just knew it.

Then, voices, to the east of him, and he turned sharply with a killing intent. This was the last, then he would rest a little and then he would go for the next base.

As he saw the first human, he jumped into the air, right hand draw back for an attack.

The human just saw a black shape jump at him, before he felt something pass through his chest and squish his heart. Blood splattered on Shadow, which by now was entirely covered with it.

The black hedgehog turned around and smiled wickedly at the six humans, "Your turn." He said with bloodthirsty eyes full of madness, hate, sorrow and hunger for revenge.

Knuckles was out of the previous tree in less than a moment, landing softly on a low branch behind the group of humans and making his way up and over the scene. Knuckles didn't care much for the humans at this point, but he would stop Shadow; he wasn't entirely cold, like Sonic often labeled him.

Though, for all the stereotypes Sonic placed on him, he knew the Echidna best...

Shadow was at his fourth human out of six, and, as he turned, he started charging Chaos Energy into his right hand.

"And now.... the big finale... with my Chaos Spear." He announced to the two men.

That's when Knuckles dropped from the overlying tree limb, grabbed Shadow by the wrist, spun him around, and kicked him square in the back, knocking him off balance long enough for the two unarmed humans to flee. Then he straightened, letting himself look as formidable as possible. Sonic would have been terrified. Shadow, he wasn't so sure about that.

The dark hedgehog growled deeply, "You..." He said turning around and looking at the echidna in the eyes with an overwhelming rage and hate.

"What do you want? Perhaps help those wretched humans to retain me again?" He asked tilting his head to the side.

Shadow's crazy grin faded for a second before returning, "You wont stop me, red one. Not until I have killed them all."

Knuckles frowned, and took an offensive pose, sizing Shadow up carefully. If the hedgehog was truly as crazy as he seemed to have gone, the fight would be a little more difficult. He was tempted to answer the somewhat insane looking furry, but instead narrowed his eyes to ready for battle.

The black hedgehog narrowed his eyes as his grin seemed to enlarge, "You know..." He said before disappearing in a small flicker of light that radiated Chaos Energy, "You won't win just with bare force. I'm faster, and thus I can avoid all your attacks." He finished from behind his back.

"I don't rely on just my strength...." Knuckles went into action, spinning in a circle and catching Shadow in the stomach and springing backward, in hopes of avoiding a repercussion. "I can sense you every time you use Chaos Energy. Your speed gives you away."

The black hedgehog grinned even more, "If you can sense Chaos Energy, then sense this." He said as he steadied himself. He raised a hand to the sky and started collecting a large amount of energy in his hand. After a few seconds he smiled, "Chaos... Spear!" He called, quickly lowering his hand.

Five golden spears of pure sizzling Chaos Energy formed from the mass of power Shadow had called on, and shot after the echidna.

Knuckles froze for a second, before actually realizing that Shadow had harnessed the energy into a weapon, and said weapon was coming at him.

He managed to dodge the first four, flipping and jumping out of the way. The fifth however managed to take a slice out of his arm, the right one, and Knuckles instinctively grabbed it, losing his concentration on the tree branch he'd been leaping to, and falling short, colliding with the ground and uttering a loud groan.

As he pushed himself up, he winced, the arm throbbing angrily, blood matting his fur down. He turned to face toward Shadow, involuntarily bearing his fangs.

Sonic watched from beyond the trees, silently chanting to himself that Knuckles could handle the situation. The hedgehog was also staring at what looked like to be a red demon, or something of the manner, its color dripping away as though it was melting. Only his voice told Sonic the true identity of the monster.

He shivered, digging his fingers into the tree's bark, unable to look away from the scene. As a rodent, he told himself he shouldn't be here, he shouldn't intervene. As a hero and a friend, he knew he'd have to intervene soon.

Even if he could still take out many other humans, the black hedgehog knew that he needed to end this battle with Knuckles as soon as possible: the echidna was a strong fighter. Drawing out this battle would result in him succumbing for lack of energy or being taken out by his opponent.

Shadow jumped forwards, speed matching Sonic's, and somersaulted in mid air, preparing for a dangerous drop kick aimed at the echidna's head.

Knuckles had anticipated a move meant to be dealt fatally, and instead of dodging to either side, knowing Shadow could easily still attack him, the echidna dove under, coming out to skid on his back so he would land on his injured arm.

Then, wasting no time, lest Shadow renew the attack, he went for the trees. Knuckles knew that his advantage with Sonic was there, and since everything he knew about the hero had worked in this battle so far, he'd try his luck there. Hopefully, he could reach it faster than Shadow could reach him.

Shadow snarled and bared his teeth as he to took to the trees. Before he could reach the first branch of a nearby tree, he grasped his left leg and spun around, slamming the Guardian on the ground, "I told you that I was fast, red one."

Knuckles stayed silent, save for a loud grunt as his back flared upon impact. Twisting himself face down, he dug both spiked namesakes into the mossy earth beneath him and flipped himself upward, attempting to dislodge the hedgehog.

"I've beaten faster."

The black hedgehog let the echidna's leg go and jumped into a tree branch, "Who knows..." He said smirking crazily again.

Knuckles, ignoring the screaming ache from his arm and back, ascended the tree after his opponent, chasing what he knew he couldn't catch. As he hurried up the trunk, moving from limb to limb in grace, despite injury, a flash of blue only barely caught his eye, before disappearing again. He gritted his teeth, and turned to look behind him, ready to yell if he saw Sonic out of hiding.

However, there was nothing but empty forest.

Shadow smirked as he saw the distraction of his opponent and took the occasion offered; he jumped from the branch towards the echidna, spun around and kicked him with a roundhouse kick on the side of the head.

Knuckles gave a cry of surprise, and lost his grip on the bark of the tree, hitting the forest floor hard. He groaned, and tried to push himself up, clenching his hands into fists against the shooting pain throughout his chest area. Warm blood trickled down from the back of his head where Shadow's blow had connected, and down his dreads to puddle amongst the ground plants.

He slowly blinked his eyes, trying to refocus, but the world seemed blurred at the edges. Finally forcing his feet to stay beneath him, he rose, wavering, looking over his shoulder for his attacker.

Shadow had moved again, and now he was standing on another branch behind the echidna, "I have nothing against you, red one. But if you still keep insisting on stopping me, I will have to kill you."

Knuckles bared his fangs in a grimace, stumbling just barely as he turned, bracing both feet. His answer was obvious. Shadow would either lose, or Knuckles would die fighting him.

The blood covered hedgehog nodded in understanding, "Very well, red one. I promise you that I will kill you quickly so you won't suffer." He said jumping from the branch and landing on the ground with a silent 'thud'.

"If you are able to kill me at all, hedgehog."

He pushed a dreadlock out of his way, keeping his eyes locked on Shadow. It was slightly more comforting that the dark creature didn't sound half as insane as he had minutes before, and that he didn't look like his face was splitting in half to accommodate his grin.

The black hedgehog moved quickly, and in an instant he was in front of the echidna, punching him into the stomach, then he moved again, to his side this time, and kicked his legs out of under him, making Knuckles fall on the ground. Then, he performed a drop kick aimed for his throat.

"Shadow, no!!"

Sonic was out of the trees and had hold of Knuckles seconds before Shadow hit the ground where the echidna had lain. The Guardian was slightly dazed looking, as though he hadn't noticed the last few seconds go by. The hero clutched his friend by the shoulders as Knuckles gripped one arm forcefully, trying to regain his bearings.

"What are you doing here?!" He hissed in undertone, still trying to accomplish standing. "I told you to stay hidden!"

"And let you get yourself killed? You know me better than that."

Shadow narrowed his eyes, "What are you doing here?" He asked coldly, "Trying to stop me like the red one? Don't meddle. I don't want to kill you."

"Glad to hear it." Sonic muttered, looking Shadow in the eyes. "But I don't want you to kill anymore people." He hefted Knuckles to his feet, the Guardian trying to push him away and stand by himself. "GUN soldiers or otherwise."

The black hedgehog showed his teeth and narrowed his eyes more as his quills raised to look more threatening, "I said... to not meddle into this, Sonic." He growled in utter rage.

In his eyes there was pure hate.

"If you'd think about it you'd see what you're doing is wrong! You want revenge for something that happened fifty years ago. People age Shadow, the people you're after are either dead or so old you can hear them walking a mile away."

"I won't say they're not corrupt, for reasons of my own, but going on a killing spree isn't going to make people see that. They think you're the bad guy, and in the end they'll come after you along with GUN, long before you've gotten to the next base! Do you know how many people would end up dead?!"

"Look at me and answer this question, Sonic." He paused a little and looked into the blue hedgehog's eyes with detachment, "Do I seem to care?" He started backtracking into the forest, "Besides, I have gone too far to back off."

Sonic shook his head, and stepped forward. "You can't keep doing this! It's murder!" He reached out, pleading. "You're giving them the chance to pin all sorts of things on you, and further their glory!!"

Shadow tilted his head a little to the side and smirked again, his craziness returning in full blown, "I do not care what happens to me, I do not care if they kill me. I will just keep killing them..."

Sonic hardened, his eyes narrow, but it was obvious he hated this situation more than anything he'd ever hated. He trod forward a little more, inching his way.

"I won't let you."

The blood covered hedgehog raised an eyebrow, mocking amusement, "How would you stop me, then?"

"Anyway I can!" Sonic exploded, his fists tightening against his sides. "You're going to end up killing innocent people, Shadow!!"

Shadow's eyes narrowed, "Do you know that the only way to stop me is to kill me? Are you really ready to kill someone?"

Sonic looked taken aback, but reached out, touching Shadow's hand, as though making sure it was there. The blood-stained glove dripped onto his own. "You can't mean it, Shadow....you can't...." He sounded as though he was choking on the words, and his hands wrapped around Shadow's, holding on.

The black hedgehog wrenched his hand away from Sonic's, then he took his wrist, and with a quick movement he turned around and made the blue hedgehog fly over his shoulder and then slammed him onto the ground with his back.

"I am extremely serious, Sonic." He said looking at him in the eyes, "To stop me, you have to kill me."

Knuckles let out a cry of anger from where Sonic had left him, but the blue hedgehog was silent, staying where he had landed, shock written across his face. Then he pushed himself into a sitting position, face downcast, as his hands fisted around the grass.

"I can't...."

Shadow backed a little, "Then, I'll be leaving..." He said turning around and walking away, "Next time we meet, Sonic. We might be enemies... and I might have to kill you."

Silence was Sonic's answer, until Shadow turned his back. Then Sonic, without truly knowing what he was doing, was on his own feet, and in a blur of motion he was behind Shadow, making the black hedgehog freeze in his track. Then, without his own consent, his arms slid around Shadow's chest and he buried his face into the ebony fur on the other's back.

Shadow felt his heart jump, then a second later, the dark hedgehog disappeared into thin air to reappear a few feet behind Sonic, devoid of emotions; he just stared there, not moving, looking at the blue figure with a small flicker of confusion showing in his eyes from time to time.

Sonic had been leaning heavily on Shadow during that short time, and almost fell, but stopped himself in time, looking over his shoulder toward the dark furry, sadness in every feature.

The only thing that Shadow noticed was the blood on the blue hedgehog's body, "L... look at you, Sonic... you... you are covered in blood... why... did you touch me? I'm... a sinner... unworthy of attention... much less being touched..."

"No one's unworthy of anything, unless they think so..." Sonic whispered, ears folded. He wiped at some of the blood on his front gently, his tan chest fur showing, though still slightly reddened, and held his hand up for Shadow to see. "Blood and sin....they wash away, and people change..." He was quiet, sorrowful, and if you looked closely, he was shaking just barely.

Shadow lowered his head, "This for normal people... I'm not normal. Thus I'm not allowed to change... They won't let me change." He muttered with regret.

"You're allowed whatever you want, Shadow. Whatever you're willing to reach for..." Sonic's voice had lowered to a whisper almost, but the trembling had increased, until it was almost visible. He looked as though he was going to collapse.

Shadow stood still, "Even if I want it, they won't let me... they will keep coming for me..."

"Killing them isn't the only way to stop them. We can expose them for what they are, Shadow...." Sonic let himself move toward Shadow, and he seemed to relax a little more until he stood still again. A shudder ran up his spine, and he gripped his own arms, looking away. "No one else has to die..."

Shadow looked up again, "They are over the law, Sonic. Killing them all is the less troublesome and the fastest way to do it, and the only way that I know of." He answered with rage in his voice.

"Sometimes the best choice isn't the easiest, or fastest one.... sometimes it's the one that no one wants to take, because it's full of all sorts of horrible things, whereas the other ones aren't...." Sonic bit his lip.

"It was never my choice to chose the path I'm walking on... the GUN chose for me, and it's GUN that holds my destiny, and they will never change it."

"GUN may have set you on the path, but you don't have to stay on it....no one can force you to make a choice, you're the only one...." He took a deep breath and came forward again, only a few steps. "Before....you chose not to kill me, didn't you?"

Shadow only nodded at that, unable to deny his own decision, and remained still, unable to look away from the ground.

"Do you think GUN would want me alive, if they knew that I was on your side?" Sonic's voice was shaky, but serious. "Do you think they would want me walking around so that I can help you keep out of their grasp and tear apart their whole conspiracy?"

"They would want me dead first chance they got." He took the final step and looked at Shadow, though the hedgehog's eyes were still on the ground. "So if you're under their control, if they hold your destiny, why aren't you ripping my throat out right now...?"

"I guess.... that it's because you're the new soul that's holding my humanity, that is why I can't do that. If I kill you, I will become what they desire the most..." He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "The most powerful weapon of mass destruction ever created with genetic engineering on the space colony ARK, fifty years ago, by the most brilliant scientist, Gerald Robotnik."

There, now the secret was out and he would be rejected more than before.

Sonic didn't flinch, or scorn. He simply smiled. "So you think you're a weapon...?" Sonic held out his hand. "A weapon is something that is used to kill, Shadow, but not the same way you were. A weapon would've killed me in the workshop, would be killing me right here. A weapon wouldn't have the chance or ability to think or feel or decide that I don't deserve to die..."

"That is why I can't kill you... I don't want to be their weapon... I never wanted to be since the first time they said it to me..." His voice, even if still cold, was starting to assume a sad tone.

"Then you're not. You wouldn't be even if you wanted to, because weapons don't want." He was dipping his head to lock emerald with ruby. "You don't have to be so afraid, Shadow. You act like I'm going to hate you the minute I find out who you are...."

"But I'm not."

Shadow remained in silence, processing what he had heard, then he needed to ask something.

"Even... if I was created by human hands? Even if I'm a monster of the human mind? Even after countless killings? Even... even..."

"Even if you had my neck under your hands right now." Sonic grinned, and gestured behind him towards Knuckles, who had long since gone unconscious. "I mean, I put up with the most blunt-brained, idiotic, bossy guy you'll ever meet in this life, and with a smile on my face! What makes you think the fact that you're a little different can make me like you any less?"

"Now, if you ate my chilidogs on purpose, like Red does, we may have a war on our hands."

The black hedgehog remained in silence, not knowing what to say.

Sonic frowned, afraid he'd said something wrong again, like before, and put his hand on Shadow's shoulder. "Shadow.....? What's wrong...?"

In response to that, instead, from Shadow's eyes started to fall small tears, which, when running down his cheeks, collected the blood on his fur and turned red.

Sonic was staring at the small wet spots forming on the ground, and his grip on his companion's shoulder loosened, sliding his arm around the hedgehog's back and drawing him forward to lean on him. "....Shadow...why are you crying...?"

Shadow was too focused on not exploding in howls of sadness, pain, sorrow and relief to be able to answer; he closed his eyes shut and slowly collapsed to the ground, hiding his face in his bloody hands in shame of himself.

Sonic hugged him tighter, going down with him as Shadow sunk from his standing position, concerned for his friend, repeatedly asking what was wrong. The black hedgehog, even if he heard the continuous asking, couldn't bring himself to talk and just kept on weeping quietly.

Sonic began running his hands down the sobbing furry's back in an attempt to calm him down, whispering soft words of reassurance and compassion. He leaned his own head against Shadow's and shushed him gently, waiting for the streaked hedgehog to come back to his senses.

Shadow, however, was far from finished, unable to stop himself from sobbing quietly, uncontrollably; even if the forest was far from being a safe place to cry, he couldn't find the strength to stand up and walk.

Sonic debated carrying him, but with Knuckles unconscious, he would have to make two trips. Knuckles was too injured to be left alone, and Shadow....Sonic wasn't sure Shadow would be able to handle being on his own right now.

So, cradling the still tearful furry to his chest, Sonic stooped slightly and backed up against a tree close to Knuckles prone form, and pulled the red echidna to his side, so that he could watch over them both for now.

Shadow, unaware that he had been moved, just kept weeping into his hands; he didn't even hear someone approach them, running.

An orange bi-tailed fox shoot out from the trees and slowed down when he saw Sonic, "Sonic! Finally I found you! We have to get out of here. There's a whole army walking trough the forest with what I believe are deadly intentions!"

"Tails!" Sonic grinned. "Right on time, lil bro!" He debated the difference in weight between Knuckles and Shadow, then gently nudged the furry clinging to him. "Shadow? You'll have to let go now, Knuckles is the heavier one here, and Tails can't carry him, I'd think. Unless you think can walk...?"

Shadow looked at him confused, "What? Why?"

"We have to get out of here. Tails says that the uh....soldiers Snow Red over there," He thumbed towards Knuckles, "...kept you from killing brought some buddies. A lot of buddies. And they feel like playing hard ball."

"Now, I'd say the odds are against us, wouldn't you?"

Shadow looked down to the ground, "Sorry... to have dragged you all into my problems...." He murmured before gathering Chaos Energy in his right hand. It took him a moment before the energy was enough,

"Chaos...Control." He whispered releasing the charge. The forest around the four melted away and was quickly replaced by the familiar living room of Sonic and Tails' house.

During all that, Shadow never looked back up.

"Okay..." Sonic breathed, still trying to adjust to the missing forest, and expecting the rug to become moss again at any moment. "That's.....a really handy thing to have around...." He stared off at Knuckles who was slowly waking.

"What...the hell...?"

Tails gaped at what had just happened, "Amazing!" He exclaimed excited, "We actually warped from the forest to our house in less than a second!"

Knuckles rubbed his head, wincing as he struck the dried blood, and suddenly whipping to look at Shadow with a glare. Sonic raised his hands, placatingly.

"Chill Knux, it's fine. He got us home before we got ourselves shot down."

The echidna looked at Sonic, then back at the black hedgehog covered in blood that was sitting on the floor looking at it, "You mean that..." He asked looking back at the blue one to confirm that the dark one had stopped his madness.

"Yeah, Shadow's fine....slight problem with pent up frustration. I think we gave him the wrong kind of soup." He grinned at Shadow, silently passing the confirmation that he would say nothing until Shadow himself wanted to disclose the information.

Knuckles watched as the black hedgehog moved his ears at the mention of his name and as tears kept just running down his cheeks; from time to time he would take a big breath and release it in a shaky sigh.

Sonic circled the aforementioned furry in his arms, and, remembering how fond he'd been of his ears being stroked before, took the tip of the left one and began to gently rub it, holding the hedgehog close.

At that, Shadow curled up and left his eyes focus on nothing but air, meanwhile his mind focused solely on the rubbing and the warmth provided by the blue hedgehog's body.

Tails looked at the echidna, "If you come in the kitchen I'll start to patch you up. The Guardian nodded and the two quickly disappeared from the living room.

Sonic watched them go in silence, then turned to concentrate on taking care of Shadow. He lowered the fingers, scratching gently at the base like he had before. The hedgehog seemed to be settling down already, and Sonic was relieved. He had been afraid the dark hedgehog would become hysterical, and he wasn't the best at playing doctor. He'd barely got Shadow to listen in the forest, and full-on therapy would be well beyond his reach.

Shadow shakily sighed again as his eyes never stopped releasing tears of mixed emotions. He was starting to be utterly tired and his eyelids started to slowly close.

"Feeling a little better..?" Sonic held the furry tightly, smiling as he sighed. He would fall asleep soon, and the hero could only hope he'd wake up in a better way than before, when he'd tried leaving. Perhaps he'd feel safer now that he knew, even though Sonic knew the truth, he wouldn't turn him away.

Shadow never answered neither with a word nor a movement; he was too deep into his mind to hear what the blue hedgehog had really asked. He could just hear words that seemed to be meaningless; he curled more and never moved from there, awaiting sleep, possibly a dreamless one.

Sonic didn't really need an answer though; Shadow curling up closer was really all he needed for now. He ran the unoccupied hand through the thick, coal-black fur, alternating between scratching the unattended ear, and playing with the blood soaked pelt. When Shadow woke up, he'd have to lock him in the bathroom for a shower.

Finally, Shadow's eyes dropped shut and his body went slack with sleep as the sweet darkness took over his heavy, troubled mind.

Sonic smiled and examined one glove, while the other continued scratching Shadow's ear, in case he wasn't fully asleep yet. He took in the stained cloth with a sigh, knowing he'd have to run them through the wash again, and this time they probably wouldn't come out as clean.

Although Sonic's doubt of Shadow's current status of sleep, the black hedgehog was deeply slumbering, and wouldn't wake up even if he was moved around. That was because he knew that the blue furry would never hurt him.

As soon as he was certain the other wouldn't wake up, Sonic carefully slid his arms back around Shadow and hugged him gently, relief pouring from him. The hedgehog had shaken Sonic to the core several times since he'd saved him from the fire, and the cerulean hero was positive the dark furry had been created just to scare the hell out of Sonic every day.

Shadow murmured contently at being hugged and tried to nuzzle into the calming warmth that was Sonic. A soft chuckle escaped Sonic as Shadow pressed against him, and he held him a little tighter to help, resting his chin on Shadow's bowed head, smiling.

Knuckles poked his head from the kitchen, "You should move him somewhere comfier, Sonic." He whispered loudly enough to be heard by the blue hedgehog.

Like he had appeared, he disappeared behind the wall that separated the kitchen from the living room.

Sonic looked up in time the see the last bit of red vanish into the kitchen, and rolled his eyes, but silently agreed with Knuckles. The floor was probably the last place Shadow would want to wake up on, since it would more than likely leave him with a stiff back. It looked like it was back to the couch...

Sonic gathered the slumbering hedgehog into his arms and hefted him upward, scooting to the couch until he settled him onto it's stuffed surface, face up. From this angle, even blood-covered, Shadow looked......childish as he slept. Not innocent, the blood ruined that, but more like a kid who'd got into red paint or something....Sonic's smile grew one-sided.

The black hedgehog mumbled out something to attract Sonic's attention, but it was too low to be heard properly.

Sonic leaned down, ears pricked. "You say something, Shadow?" It might've just been the speedster's imagination, but he'd been so sure that the other had spoken.

Shadow mumbled out something else, and this time it was accompanied by his arms that flew up and grabbed the blue hedgehog by the torso, bringing him on top of himself, and thus as close as he could.

Sonic gave a small yelp, but ended up swallowing it as he was jerked downward. He blinked rapidly, and had to battle mentally to keep from instinctively struggling and waking the hedgehog, though it might've been the best thing. He didn't want Shadow to open his eyes and think Sonic was trying to get away from him for reasons different than Sonic meant.

The black hedgehog turned on his side, dragging Sonic with him and thus trapping him between himself and the back of the couch. Then he curled up a little on his chest and ceased his movements.

"Sorry..." He mumbled out tightening his grasp a little as if afraid that the other hedgehog would run away and never come back

"Um...that's okay...I guess...." Sonic mumbled in reply, looking around for a way out of, or around, the situation. He was pinned rather well, however. It looked as though he'd be stuck there unless Shadow moved...

....but of course, the dark hedgehog never did; however, his grasp slackened as he entered a more deep sleep, possibly a peaceful one, but that depended by the deepest part of his mind, where every repressed thought and memory was stored.

Sonic sighed and leaned his head back. At least he could move his arms slightly now. The position was still very awkward, and he shifted a few times, only to find himself pinned further into the couch. And if Knuckles saw this....ugh, he'd never hear the end of it...

The black hedgehog moved further towards the source of warmth, the blood had to still completely dry, and this was making him cold, making him shiver from time to time.

Sonic couldn't stop his face from heating slightly, and he put a hand against Shadow's chest to halt the loss of personal space. Sure, he could understand the whole coddling-for-warmth thing but this felt a little tight for comfort. After a few minutes he let the hand fall, thinking Shadow had settled for the night.

In fact, the black hedgehog had finally settled, but the fact that he was still cold was still visible as the shivers never stopped.

Sonic almost immediately felt clawed by guilt, and, moving his still slightly constricted arms, he drew Shadow a little closer, knowing that either Shadow would butcher him for it in the morning, or he'd be woken by Knuckles dying of laughter. Of course, for now he would do the 'nice' thing.


	6. Chapter 6 — The Chaos Drainage Theory

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Chapter 6 - The Chaos Drainage Theory

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When Shadow came back to the world, he found himself partially on his belly, and partially on his side, and practically having his arms and forehead pressed into Sonic's chest. He was still too confused to be shocked or embarrassed, although he suspected that everything that brought to this situation about had happened while he was asleep.

Since the day he was created, he had always talked, moved, interacted with others or even sleepwalked during his sleep.

Gerald accused his too developed instinct of survival.

Though how it had occurred was lost on Sonic, the hero had fallen asleep at some point in the night, pressed between the couch and Shadow, and was still slumbering peacefully beside the other when the sun rose. However, it wasn't as deep as Shadow's had become in the late night; Sonic's rest was troubled, fitful and since he couldn't shift fully, his ears were twitching wildly in agitation.

Shadow watched curiously the blue hedgehog's face, then with a sigh he slowly stood up; when he was in a sitting position, he gently shook Sonic by the shoulder.

Sonic growled and tried to roll over, the attempt defeated by the couch back he was pushed into. So instead he swatted sleepily at Shadow's hand and curled into a ball, spikes beginning to come on end.

The black one sighed and was a little hurt by the reaction, but quickly shoved it away as he resumed watching Sonic's face.

Sonic was frowning, and a hand went out, searching for something. It crept along the cushions for a moment, then rose up the top of the couch. There, folded in a bundle, was the blanket Shadow had used during his stay before, while all he'd been able to do was sleep. Sonic grabbed hold and dragged it down over himself, snuggling into the warmth.

Shadow, not knowing what to do, sighed once again and grabbed half of the blanket, curling up into it in an upright position.

Sonic made something like a cooing sound, and cuddled against Shadow, dropping back into sleep in a moment. His quills relaxed and he pulled the blanket around himself tightly, sinking into its held warmth.

"You...might want to get out of the way...."

The black hedgehog looked up at the red echidna, not knowing what he was up to, but moved away nonetheless.

Knuckles gave Shadow a wicked grin and produced an ice cube in his mitted hand. Gently moving the blanket aside, he tossed it underneath so that it collided with Sonic's stomach, then hurried backwards a few feet.

The result was instant.

Sonic yelped, and propelled himself backwards off the couch, over the opposite armrest and onto the floor, landing upside-down. Knuckles was grinning like a demon.

"Good morning. Nice to see you awake, Sonic." He greeted the hero cheerfully. Sonic was not so pleasant with his salutations.

"You just wait till I figure out which of you three is the real one...."

The black hedgehog stared, then started snickering. Soon, the snickering became full-blown laughs, which expressed pure amusement.

"Hmph..." Sonic grunted, pushing off the couch so he landed on his hands and knees, then stood, folding the blanket, still glaring at Knuckles. The Echidna took no notice of his look of doom, still grinning. "At least I'm entertaining..."

Knuckles rolled his eyes. "You and I both know it's one of the few ways to wake you up. You're lucky Tails didn't call Amy Rose again, like last week."

Sonic shuddered, gripping the blanket. "Gah! Don't remind me!!"

Shadow stopped laughing, "Amy Rose? Who is she?"

"Take the essence of a fangirl and wrap it in a pink package." Sonic cringed. "She stalks me like there's no tomorrow, and these guys get a kick out of sending her after me. Sweet kid, but she's twelve and thinks we're soul mates. Obsessive much?"

The black hedgehog raised an eyebrow and was going to say something when the phone rang.

"Coming! Coming!" Tails half screamed running from his workshop and taking the receiver to his ear. When he was done talking, he turned to Sonic, "Amy's coming here in a few minutes..."

Sonic stiffened. "Oh.... hell..." Then he was gone, a trail of smoke left in his wake. "I refuse to go without a battle!!!" The blanket, once folded, now fluttered gently to the floor.

The black hedgehog was never able to say something as the door was slammed open and a pink creature threw herself at Shadow's neck.

"Oh, Sonic! I missed you so much! Have you heard those terrible things that happened yesterday night? A whole base decimated! Do you really think that it was just an accident?"

"It was no incident. It was me."

The pink hedgehog, confused, released her hold on the neck and step back a few feet. When she noticed that her 'Sonic' was covered in blood, she screamed terrified with all her lungs.

Knuckles clapped his hands over his unseen ears, and bellowed for Sonic, the hero skidding out into the living room, looking around excitedly, but also in fear.

"She gone already? Geez that was fast!" He probably would've relaxed next, if a pink blur hadn't hurled herself at him.

Amy, the pink blur, pointed at Shadow, "He... he.... he said that..."

"That I killed them all. Wonderful isn't it?" The black one finished for her. He didn't liked her at all, especially after how she introduced herself to him, and thus he enjoyed scaring the hell outta her.

Sonic rolled his eyes to the ceiling in a 'why me' fashion, before looking down at the girl before him. "Don't worry about Shadow, Ames, he just has a.... really.... morbid sense of humor...." He raised his eyebrow at the dark hedgehog.

"He's going to be staying with us for a while, you know, until he can get some business attended to and find his own bearings, blah blah etc. etc. He's a cool guy, once you get to know him...." He waited till she was looking at Shadow to take a large step backwards, trying to make space between them in case she decided to fly at him again.

Shadow's eyes narrowed at her, clearly showing that he didn't like her at all. Amy back stepped, "But Sonic..." She said trying to tell him her discomfort and the fact that he was killing her with just his eyes, "He's covered in blood!" She finally managed to say.

"Oh, that?" Sonic searched his mind for a believable excuse. "Um.....it's a....um.....crap..." He dug his fingers into his quills, trying hard to think of something, anything to use as an excuse.

"It's the prank joke we used to wake Sonic up this morning," Knuckles growled from behind Sonic, his teeth pulled up into a smile. "He didn't want to say anything because we made him scream like a girl..."

"You did not!!" Sonic snapped, quills standing on end.

"Hush, with your high notes. You can wash up now Shadow, I think he's plenty awake." Knuckles gestured for Shadow to follow him and retreated into the house area, leaving Sonic to fend for himself against Amy.

The black hedgehog shrugged, but followed the red echidna, "Why did you cover for me like that?" He asked, not wanting to finish at first, "I almost killed you..." He finally whispered.

"Almost. While I have not completely forgiven you for that, you are still Sonic's guest, and could've disposed of us both quite easily I'm certain, since Sonic seems to refuse to actually fight against you." Knuckles growled. "He's going to trust the wrong person one day and get himself killed. Up until the end of yesterday, I was certain said killer would be you."

"What made you change your mind? I could still go crazy and kill him. I'm not that entirely sane, you saw that, didn't you?"

"I have reason to doubt your sanity; but I've questioned my own, and that of others around me far too many times to hold that as a good excuse for digging you a grave and dropping you in it." Knuckles grinned just barely. "Plus I believe having Sonic stuck to you like he is right now to be punishment enough."

"Having Sonic around is a punishment?" He asked a little confused as they stopped in front of a closed door.

"He hasn't challenged you to a race yet. Believe me, the little beast is as annoying as it gets when he's gloating. Sonic hasn't lost yet, though he's come close...." He set a hand on the door they'd halted before and pushed it open, "This is the bathroom here; I trust you'll figure your way around? Oh, and mind the water, it's rather cold at first."

The black hedgehog shrugged, "I have a lot of patience, and yes, I can figure my way around." He said entering in the bathroom and taking off shoes and gloves, which were completely covered in blood.

Knuckles closed the door behind the bloodied furry, and debated going back out into the living room, where it was obvious a rather distressed Sonic was trying to talk his way out of being dragged on a shopping spree.

"Knuckles!!! A little help?!"

Knuckles grinned to himself. 'I think I'll stay back here for a little while...'

As Shadow heard Sonic's plea for help, he opened the door and looked at the echidna, "Will you tell that pink nuisance that if she doesn't stop, I'm gonna kill her?" He inquired, sounding fairly annoyed.

"If you can get past the hammer she swings, you're welcome to try..." Knuckles said dryly. "Though I doubt Sonic would be too pleased. Amy's annoying, but he far from wishes her dead." Sonic was yelling at Amy to let go of him; most likely, she had him tackled to the floor again.

"I said no, Amy!"

"But it'll be just like a date!!"

"Now it's DEFINITELY no!!!"

Shadow sighed heavily, "Excuse me, Red One. I'll be back in a minute." He said walking to the living room.

The black hedgehog approached the pink girl and grabbed her by an arm, then he brought her to his eye level a little too much roughly, "Now listen here, little annoyance: If you don't stop whining, I'll be ripping your head off; Your little childish demands are making me pretty mad."

"And when I'm mad, I'm far from being in control even of my thoughts. Now, this is a warning. Do not press the matter further. Do you understand?" He asked burning his eyes into hers.

Amy gave a loud squeak of acknowledgement, seemingly too scared to answer with actual words. Her frightened eyes were darting back and forth from Shadow to Sonic, obviously expecting the blue hedgehog to intervene. Sonic stood from the floor, and gently placed a hand on Shadow's shoulder, trying to get his attention before he seriously hurt the little female.

Shadow diverted his eyes from Amy to Sonic, "What?" He asked, dropping his coldness in his voice and eyes.

"While the clinging isn't high on my list of favorite things that Amy does, I would kind of appreciate you leaving her head on her neck, between her shoulders, where it belongs, okay?" He grinned.

Amy looked slightly more relaxed, but kept her eyes on Shadow apprehensively, unsure whether to rejoice being saved yet.

Shadow closed is eyes, "If this is what you whish, then so be it. But the warning is still valid. You have seen it, Sonic. I hardly control myself when I'm mad." He released the pink hedgehog and left for the bathroom.

Amy fled soon after Shadow retreated to the back of the house, telling Sonic that she'd find a way to save him from the homicidal maniac he was dealing with. Sonic just rolled his eyes as he nodded and waved her out the door, watching her disappear from the window. As soon as she was out of sight, he went and flopped down onto the couch.

"Safe at last..."

At the same time, the black hedgehog walked past the echidna with a small crazy smirk and closed the door of the bathroom behind him, finally getting peace and a shower.

Knuckles looked after him, somewhat surprised, and heard Sonic's relieved sigh. Guessing that Shadow had chased Amy off he smirked himself slightly, and went out into the living room, taking the absence of pink to mean his guess was right.

The Guardian looked at Sonic, "Let me guess. He threatened her to kill her if she didn't shut up, am I right?"

"As usual." Sonic closed his eyes. "It got rid of her, though she seems to think he's threatening my life to let him stay here. She's vowed to liberate me from his evil grasp."

Knuckles nodded slightly, "You should tell her that she's going to mess up big time. Shadow may be quiet and reserved, but if triggered... well... you saw in the forest how he acted, right?"

"Saw enough to know that I'll never leave Shadow alone with her. Even I want to kill her some of the time...." Sonic's face hardened but his eyes stayed closed. "Shadow wouldn't just want to, I imagine..."

"Sonic, Shadow is dangerous, and extremely so. Most of the times he's in control of himself, but when he gets strong negative emotions, he'll go crazy again. Be careful. I do not want to bury you." He said seriously.

Sonic opened one eye to look directly at Knuckles, "I know. I don't intend to get myself killed any time soon, Red. And if I do, it won't be Shadow that does it. I'm pretty sure of that." Then he smiled, despite the conversation. "Besides, when am I ever NOT careful?"

Knuckles raised an eyebrow at the blue hedgehog, "First of all, you're NEVER careful, second, why do you trust him so much? And tell me the truth."

"I trust him for pretty much the same reason I trusted you when we first met. I can see he's a pawn in someone's scheme and needs someone to hit him over the head and shove him in the right direction." Sonic closed his eye again. "Just like you were."

The echidna growled a little, then he sighed and sat next to Sonic, "And how do you know that he won't kill you in a fit of madness?"

"Didn't kill me yesterday, did he?" Sonic shrugged, and opened his eyes, staring up at the ceiling. "I guess...I don't know for sure.... but Shadow seems to know somehow...I mean, during his fit in the woods, he called you by name, he knew who you were. So if he recognizes me then well, I just work from there."

"He kept calling me Red One, but yes he seemed to recognize me. As for you, what happened after I passed out?"

"Nothing really, Shadow kinda.....went out of it. And then Tails showed up and warned us about the guards coming." Sonic grinned, "And Shadow got us back here with.... some kinda light thing...." He made odd loops with his hands to emphasize.

"Sonic... Shadow would have never snapped out of it alone. Tell me the truth."

"If I was to say...no..... what would happen...?" Sonic looked at the Guardian, smiling guiltily.

Knuckles sighed, "Sonic, I need to know, I might need this information to stop him next time he goes mad."

The sapphire shrugged, before speaking again. "....I told him that the choices he was making weren't the right ones, and that he didn't have to be the monster GUN wants to portray him as." Sonic looked away. "Anything else you want to know, you'll have to ask Shadow; I'm not going to tell you everything that happened unless he wants me to."

Knuckles watched Sonic in the eyes, the he sighed and flopped on the back of the couch. "I'm not sure he will talk to me of that, Sonic. How did you managed to make him talk?"

Sonic looked down, seeming to think about it. "I'm not sure...I guess it was because I let him know I still trust him and accept him...something like that..." Sonic blinked, pondering, and pulled his feet up onto the couch. "It's...kinda complicated....... not sure really what happened..."

The echidna smirked, "I should have known it.." He muttered getting up and going into the kitchen, "Ah, after Shadow is done, it's your turn to get a shower." He said before disappearing into the other room.

"Yes, mother...." Sonic stuck his tongue out after the Guardian, and wrapped his arms around his legs, curling so that he could bury his muzzle into the 'cushion.' With a loud sigh, he closed his eyes, muttering about how Knuckles wasn't the boss of him.

It took Shadow more than a half a hour to get all the blood out of his fur, but when he was done he was back at being his usual black and red self, and the white tuft of fur was spotless like it had never seen a drop of red substance.

His shoes and gloves, however, were another story; he was carrying them in his hands, the shoes in his left, the gloves in his right, and both pairs were still covered in it.

Sonic's ears pricked when he heard the water stop running, not even noticing he'd been listening until it wasn't there anymore. He lifted his head, trying to see down as far as the bathroom.

The black hedgehog appeared in the living room, his fur slightly matted down by the water that he couldn't get off with the towels; he sat on the couch next to Sonic.

"I see that the little nuisance is gone."

"Amy? Yeah, she left as soon as you were out of earshot. I think she's scared of you." He gave Shadow a reproving look, "Not that you were helping the situation...."

Shadow smirked evilly, "She asked for it. And I'm pleased that she's scared of me. I don't like her at all."

"You only just met her," Sonic blinked at the dark hedgehog in disbelief. "I mean, you haven't even really done that, either...." He tried to think of why Shadow would dislike her already.

The black one hummed a little, "Well, I heard of how she clings to you and asks you out on 'dates' you don't want. She doesn't understand that and continues pestering you. That behavior makes me sick. Especially if you add the whining."

"Heh, yeah she does whine and talk a lot...but Amy has her good points, under all that pink. She's a sweet kid, I would like her better if she didn't ask me to marry her every other day..." He sighed. "She's a little starstruck over the whole hero thing; when she grows up a little, she'll probably find herself a really nice guy."

"Until then, she's more the bratty little sister you really want to kick half the time." He massaged his temples, another sigh escaping.

"Then keep her out of my sight. I don't know what will happen if I hear her whining again. Really Sonic, I'm not the type of guy that would kill for something like this, but her whining really annoy me, and the last time I got annoyed with someone, that someone got hurt pretty badly."

"I don't think you have to worry, she'll keep her distance. I'm just hoping she won't take the exploiting thing too far..." Sonic groaned softly. "She's convinced you're a demon spawn and such. It usually fades in a day or two though."

Shadow smiled again his dark smirk, "Hmm... I'd like to see if, once in front of me, she can take me on without cowering for fear." He said with a little amusement.

"Oh, c'mon Shadow, be nice." Sonic rolled his eyes. "At least you won't have to worry about being the one she cowers behind. She's already thinking I like her more than I really do since I kept you from collecting her skull earlier."

The black hedgehog moved and in less than a second he was face to face with Sonic, their noses almost touching, "You want me tell her to leave you be? I just need persuade her with a little threat here and there, and I'm sure that she'll leave you alone as long as I'm around. And maybe more." He whispered, locking ruby eyes with emerald ones.

Sonic had to fight to keep the blood from rushing to his face. "I don't think that's the best of plans, Shads. I think she'll grow out of it, same as Knuckles grew out of using me as a punching ba--no, wait, he still does that..." Sonic put a finger to his mouth in thought.

Shadow advanced a little more so their noses were touching, "Are you sure of that? She's pretty stubborn with you. I'd be glad to help." With a hint of a sweet smile and wishing eyes.

The sapphire hedgehog didn't answer, he was too busy trying to remember how the whole breathing thing went, for his lungs were suddenly devoid of all air, and he felt more than a little woozy. He worked his mouth, trying to force his voice out.

The black hedgehog went a little further, "So? What do you say? It's not a big deal, she will steer clear of you for the next ten years or so, and when she's finally out of her fear, she will be all grown up and she will probably have forgotten that she was so obsessed with you."

"You...think that's really healthy for her...?" Sonic squeaked, sinking back into the couch. "I mean.... I don't want her to end up with.. you know, permanent damage or trauma...or something those lines...." Shadow moved to the blue hedgehog's side and folded his arms on his shoulder, leaning his head a little on them, and thought about what Sonic had asked.

Sonic turned his face downward and to a slight angle, so that Shadow wouldn't notice the blood rushing to his face. Maybe he could scoot away enough so that Shadow would move automatically? He made an attempt, but instead of moving over to the side, he slid off the back of the couch and onto the actual seat cushions, ending up on his back.

Shadow, sensing that the blue hedgehog was moving, lifted himself from the shoulder he was leaning on and watched as Sonic fell on the couch on his back; a thought crossed his mind, and he smirked devilish before realizing it.

With a quick move, he laid down over the blue one and crossed his arms over his chest, leaning his head on them and looking at Sonic in the eyes, "Let's do it like this. I won't scare her too much so a psychoanalyst won't have too much trouble getting her back to normal. Is that acceptable?" He asked trying to sound as little evil as he could.

Sonic's ears folded back as Shadow leaned in close, and he gave a small noise of slight discomfort and surprise, debating whether or not he should try squirming, or tell Shadow to get off of him. Perhaps it was Shadow's weight on his chest, but Sonic seemed to have been cut off from his air supply, and was aware that his face was slowly beginning to burn.

"Wouldn't...getting her back to normal...make her whiny and obsessive all over again?" He inquired, still breathless.

Shadow, sensing that the hedgehog had trouble breathing, unfolded his arms and placed them to either side of Sonic's head and slightly supported his own weight, "Well, " He said, sounding thoughtful, "The first months, perhaps a year or two, she will be scared and crying a lot, but I assure you that as soon as she surpass it, she will be back to normal, minus that annoying whining."

He paused and neared his face to the other's so their noses were almost touching again, "What you say, is that ok? Or do you want to keep the annoying brat as she is now?"

Sonic's mind went on lockup, and he searched wildly for an answer to the question. He felt the blush forming beneath his fur already. "You're sure it wouldn't hurt her...?"

The dark one raised an eyebrow, "Depends on what you mean by 'hurt'."

Sonic made an attempt to shrug, but his shoulders were slightly pinned, since his arms were weighed down. "Well, Amy's.... a pest, but you know, I do still care about her as a friend.... maybe not the most tolerable friend, but a friend...I don't want to force her to make changes until I know for sure she can handle them, or it might not be Amy I'm talking to anymore.... am I making any sense here?"

Shadow smiled, "You have a pure golden heart, Sonic." He said getting up and sitting properly.

He leaned his head on the back of the couch and closed his eyes, "No wonder that you managed to stop my madness." He whispered loud enough for himself and Sonic to hear.

"I WISH I had a golden heart," Sonic muttered. "It'd be a killer chest pain, and a hell of a weight, but it'd make paying the rent so much easier."

"I thought heroes didn't had to pay rents..."

"Again, I wish." He heaved a loud sigh. "Although we don't have to pay as much as we should, with the low income we get with the world saving, and what Tails make for the transportation corporations, the little guy refuses to charge what he should, we usually end up making a few late payments here and there. They don't get as rude as they would with some people though, cause we're walking ads."

Shadow looked at Sonic with a raised eyebrow, "Walking... ads?"

"Advertisements. When you become really popular with the public, you get a lot of random people mimicking what you do and how you act. And me and Tails choosing a particular site to live or food to eat makes it seem like we prefer a certain companies' merchandise to another's."

Sonic 'shrugged' again. "It sounds weird I know, but they use us living here to promote the homes and stuff they sell and rent."

"I wouldn't be too happy with that..."

"Yeah, but it could be worse, so it doesn't really matter much. Plus, I doubt people with lousy pay like me really want these houses for the scenery. Tails and I picked this spot because it's secluded enough where if one of his little experiments goes wrong you won't have to deal with neighbors." Sonic smiled. "And that's a serious blessing..."

Shadow chuckles a little, "I wonder if I will ever be able to live under the sun and not always hiding to keep myself away. But I guess... that it'll be just an unreachable dream for me as seeing how my mind was ruined and distorted during that incident... If back then I was just emotionally closed to everyone but Maria, now I'm psychologically unstable..."

Sonic's ears pricked. This was new. "Maria? Sister or something?" The incident Shadow spoke of was probably the ARK Incident, Shadow's key focus for all his hate and sadness, which classed 'Maria' as one of the murdered family.

Shadow mumbled out something before looking up at the ceiling, "Like I said before, I was created, not born. My DNA was so heavily manipulated that I can't consider the hedgehog that Gerald took the blood from, my parent. I am the only one in the line as Gerald wasn't on the weapon thing, but more on a cure for his granddaughter, Maria Robotnik.

Since birth, Maria suffered of an illness called 'Immunodeficiency Syndrome'. At that time, it was incurable, so he brought her to the colony to keep her safe from virus.

After several years, he came to the conclusion that maybe the Chaos Emeralds held the key to a cure, and thus he created me. But since he didn't like the fact that I could be used against mankind, Gerald made his granddaughter teach me everything, so I would be able to follow my own path.

When GUN came to know this, they raided the ARK, killing everyone. Maria was killed in front of my eyes while I was trapped inside an escape capsule. I saw her die a painful death, and I was unable to save her."

The black hedgehog closed his eyes as the tears fell, "I was created to save her, and all I could do was watch her die in front of me while she spent her last moments to send me to the planet. And in the end it was a futile attempt to save as GUN found me still trapped inside the capsule..."

Sonic looked to the side, silence his only answer to the tale Shadow had relived. He felt horrible, knowing what the other was going through, wishing he knew of some way he could've helped...

Shadow took a deep breath, "Then I was captured and brought to one of their bases, where they tried to force into doing their dirty works, but as I refused, they imprisoned me into a cryogenic capsule, and there, they left me for fifty years...

"...until the grandson of Gerald released me and asked the same thing GUN wanted. To be a weapon of mass destruction." He finished lowering his head and hunching over and folding his arms on his legs.

"Now, do you understand why I'm so unstable?"

Sonic closed his eyes and sighed, then pushed himself upright onto the sofa. "I think so.... but I don't know.... if there'd be enough left of me to go unstable...if everyone was killed...." Sonic kept his eyes trained on the ground, "I would've dead inside, I think...I mean, I hardly know you, and I almost went crazy when you disappeared the other night."

"If it was Knuckles...Tails...dying in front of me....." He let the sentence hang.

"Sorry if I made you preoccupied..." He said regretfully.

"No. I suppose it's a good thing." Sonic mumbled. "I mean, just a little while ago, Knuckles was telling me I'm not careful enough...and these kinda things.... they make you realize just how strong a person is.....I would've ended up becoming Robotnik's weapon on the spot, if it meant getting back at GUN...."

His brow furrowed. "But I know what Robotnik's like, so if it was me right now.... I don't know..."

Shadow looked at him, "What are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying that you've been stronger than I would've been...." Sonic looked at him with respect well shown.

Shadow sighed and slightly shook his head, "No Sonic, if I was really strong, I wouldn't have killed all those humans..."

"You stopped though." Sonic pointed out. "You didn't become what they wanted you to be, a weapon, even if it was against them. You got close, you said you didn't care if innocents got in your way.....but you stopped in time..."

He closed his eyes and lowered his head, "I might not be able to do it next time..."

"If you keep thinking you won't, you won't. Don't worry about next time for now, I'll be there to help you stop. Maybe we'll find a way to keep you from even starting." Sonic stretched, and sighed. "Ugh Knux was right, I need a shower...."

Shadow nodded slightly and curled up on the couch and looked at Sonic, "Why you're trying to help me so much?"

"Um...." Sonic slumped a little, thinking of how best to answer. "Well, you needed help when you were in the fire...and obviously, you still need my help. Some old proverb says when you save someone, you're from then on responsible for that person, and they owe you a debt of life. Half of that applies here I guess, though I'm not really obligated to help you..."

"Though you being my friend justifies all of the above, doesn't it?"

Shadow looked away, "Friend... a word that I haven't heard since fifty years ago..." He whispered sadly.

"Well, you've heard it now, and you'll probably hear it a lot more while you're living here. Part of the vocabulary like any other word, so it gets used quite a bit."

The black hedgehog looked back at Sonic in the eyes with deep gratitude for having rescued him from his own madness and having given him something else than just hate and sorrow.

Sonic smiled back, scooting to the edge of the couch slowly. "You gonna be alright out here? The shower calls to me, and the hot water will be a nice relaxing change. I feel like my arms and legs are dying here..."

Shadow nodded, "Yeah, you can go. You'll find me here when you're back. Unless something happens that force me to move."

"If said something is Knuckles, ignore him, he's a hotheaded idiot and he does it to start fights. I'd advise not sparring with him, it really hurts when he gets you in the jaw." Sonic stood up and nearly fell backwards. "Whoa!!"

The dark hedgehog raised an eyebrow at that, "What's up, Sonic? Want me to carry you to the bathroom?" He asked in the same voice he used before when he was taunting him about scaring Amy and he was under him.

Sonic flushed. "Um, no...I'm good, I lost the circulation to my legs is all...sat down too long." He kept a hand on the coffee table until he was sure he could stand on his own. He made it halfway to the hall before his legs crumpled under him again, and cursed from the floor.

Shadow shook his head and stood up; he walked to Sonic and crouched next to him, smiling somewhat devilish. With a quick move, he cradled the blue hedgehog in his arms and took him to the bathroom, "Want me to assist you in showering?" He asked in hushed tone into the ear of the other hedgehog.

It was strange, but he enjoyed taunting Sonic like that; it made him... feel warm inside and somewhat happy.

Red would never begin to define the color Sonic's face went. He couldn't even answer, he was so shocked and embarrassed. The sapphire hedgehog kept his eyes on the floor, hoping Shadow couldn't see his face.

Shadow placed the blue hedgehog down and kept him upright by rounding his waist with his right arm meanwhile his left hand went under his chin and raised his head so he could see Sonic's face.

"What's up, Sonic?" He asked looking directly into green emerald eyes.

Sonic gave a half-silent squeak in reply to the arm sliding around his waist and tried to unhook himself from Shadow's grip so he could hide his flushed muzzle. Of course, the dark hedgehog had been locked up for fifty years...maybe there was the slight hope that he didn't know what the blush meant?

Shadow tilted his head a little to the side and raised an eyebrow in confusion, "Sonic?" He asked timidly, "Are... you ok? You're all red under your fur. You sure you haven't a flu?" He asked placing his hand on Sonic's brow to try to somewhat get an approximation of his temperature.

Sonic ducked under the hand, relieved. "It's...nothing, just a little embarrassed. I'm not sick, feeling fine..." His voice sounded a little light regardless, but Sonic had to say something before Shadow made his face catch fire.

Shadow tilted his head to the other side, "Embarrassed? Why?" He asked like a confused child.

"Well.... I'm the one taking care of you.... so you shouldn't really have to help me walk....." Sonic averted his eyes since he couldn't turn his head away. At least the blush seemed to be receding now...

Shadow smiled gently, "But I want to repay you, Sonic. And this is the only way I know of...." He turned his head away and released the blue hedgehog's chin, "Besides the killing..." He whispered softly.

Sonic smiled back, fighting the urge to duck down into a quilled ball. "Yeah.... thanks..." He was silently thanking whatever force hadn't let Shadow keep holding onto him like that...

Shadow looked back and managed to lock his eyes with Sonic's, "So... you want me to help or I should get out?" He asked unconsciously bringing the other hedgehog a little closer.

Okay, never mind, the blood was rushing back into his and the air was once again steamrolled from his lungs. He had to bite his tongue to keep from yelping in surprise.

"I can.....I can manage......" He stuttered.

Shadow nodded somewhat sadly as he slowly made Sonic sat on the edge of the bathtub, "If you need me, you just have to shout. ok?" He said turning around and starting to walk away.

"Okay..." Sonic whispered, his voice trying to give out. Man, what was wrong with him today? Shadow was doing this on purpose, he knew how Sonic would react. Knuckles probably gave him the idea.....well, then again, Knuckles wasn't much for this sort of practical joke, and Shadow more than likely wouldn't have gone along with it.

So did that mean that Shadow had been doing all this by accident, or was it on purpose without a set objective? Sonic shook his head, deciding he was thinking on it too much, then turned around on the tub's side and began filling the tub full of water.

If he couldn't stand a take a shower, he'd just have to settle for a bath...

Shadow left the bathroom and closed the door; when he was back in the living room, he saw Knuckles looking at him with a small grin.

The black hedgehog raised an eyebrow, "What?" He asked.

The tan muzzle lifted to show the ivory fangs of the scarlet being, as Knuckles' knowing smirk grew. He looked rather evil when smiling this way, he'd more than once been told, but Knuckles couldn't help it this time.

Shadow's eyes narrowed dangerously as he turned to face directly the Guardian, "Are you trying to make fun of me, Red One?"

Knuckles own brow raised, but the smile remained. "I'm simply amused, is all...." He gestured toward the bathroom from his seat on the couch. "The effect you have on Sonic is strange; I have never seen him so awkward with anyone before..."

The black hedgehog's eyes relaxed and he raised an eyebrow in slight confusion, "Uh?"

"He is nervous around you, which for Sonic, is odd." The fighter rested his chin on his namesakes, careful of the spikes. "He is usually very straightforward in all things, but when around you, he becomes quite reserved.... it is interesting to me...."

Shadow shrugged, "I admit that I'm confusing myself too, I have never been so straightforward with anyone. It... intrigues me... I mean, I quickly became to like his presence around me." He said sitting on the couch.

"Maybe it's because he's the key to my sanity."

"Sonic keeps quite a few people from going mad, but the actions towards them and those towards you are different, very much so. He becomes.... calmer with you, more thoughtful." Knuckles tilted his muzzle upward, studying the ceiling. "I would say as though he were talking to a child, but he speaks to Tails in another manner unlike the one he uses for you...."

"Why would he talk to me like I was a child?" He asked crossing his arms.

"I am saying he doesn't, Shadow, but the tone he uses with you makes me think of that which you hear a caretaker using. And yet they are not the same." He closed his eyes. "Sonic has often confused me in the past with his whimful actions, but this is more planned than those. Which is why I wonder the reasoning behind it."

He grinned again, his eyes remaining shut. "Though it is rather entertaining to hear him stutter over his words like that..."

Shadow grinned too, "Yes, indeed. But sometimes he confuses me more than normal. Back in the bathroom he was red in the face, but he had no flu... he said that he was embarrassed, but I couldn't understand why..."

Knuckles' grin grew wider. "Sonic is a prideful person, he enjoys others thinking him to be stronger than he truly is. It most likely made him feel silly when his legs decided they didn't want him to get to the bathroom on his own...."

"Of course, it could be other things, but that's the only explanation I can give you without seeing what happened myself."

Shadow tilted his head a little to the side, "Oh." He said understanding. Then he let a small devilish smirk cross his face, "I guess that I like to taunt him too much..." He confessed to the Guardian.

He opened his eyes and returned the grin. "Don't we all? Let's face it, for a hero, Sonic doesn't do so well under pressure. I've used it more than once to force him into telling me things he refused to."

Shadow's grin widened, "I guess that I'll be taunting him around so much that he wont do anything else than be embarrassed and stutter around."

The Echidna chuckled under his breath. "I wouldn't overdo it, Shadow, or he might try to avoid you all together simply to save himself the blushes." He smiled to himself. "Though, I don't think he will. The hedgehog is rather.... attached to you."

Shadow looked up at the echidna, "Blushes? What are those?" He asked confused.

Knuckles stared at Shadow in surprise. "Do you remember when you spoke of Sonic being embarrassed? When he was all red?"

Shadow nodded quickly like he was a child learning from his mother; his eyes were slightly wide as he straightened a little and he directed his ears towards the red echidna in full attention.

"That is called blushing. It usually happens when you're embarrassed and blood rushes to your face." Knuckles waved his hand slightly. "It also happens in intimate moments, but I doubt we need to worry about that...."

Shadow slightly lowered his head and brought a hand to his mouth, "So, that's what happened in there..." He whispered to himself.

"More than likely, unless he really is sick and was lying. Sonic hates being confined to one area, and as fast as he is, he's prone to having an extended period of time with colds when he does catch them, rare as that is."

The black hedgehog looked towards the bathroom, then back at the echidna, "Have you ever tried to tying him to a bed?"

"Once, when Robotnik managed to inject him with a poison of sorts. The little monster down right refused to be treated, so Tails and I resulted to less than kind maneuvers." Knuckles shrugged. "He regards the whole thing as one of the worst of insults. He won't even buy himself a proper bed now in case I get ideas; prefers that hammock of his."

Shadow chuckled, "Then I guess that next time I'll be pinning him down for you to cure him. It appears... that I won't need strength..."

"So you'll be staying with us then?" Knuckles grinned. "Sonic will be pleased, I'm sure."

Shadow sighed heavily, "Yes, I owe him too much to disappear again. Besides, like I said before, he's the key to my sanity. If I leave, I might end up killing again."

Knuckles nodded. "Well, I am glad to here it. Sonic was distraught enough the first time.... speaking of Sonic..." He looked toward the bathroom. "For him taking a shower, it's oddly quiet. I don't hear any water running...."

Shadow stood up, "I'm going to see what's he's doing. I don't want to find him drowned." He said, walking towards the bathroom.

"Perhaps that is a good idea....." Knuckles murmured after him.

Sonic meanwhile, had already gotten into his bath water a while ago, rather peeved that it wasn't as warm as he would've wanted, but he didn't feel like waiting until there was more hot water. At that exact time, he was holding his breath underwater, counting the seconds, not for any real reason, it was just something to do.

He'd hit a full minute and was still struggling on, when his ears, to his displeasure, unfolded, detecting a water-muddled sound outside of the room, and filling with the clear liquid as well. He ignored the discomfort, deciding that he might as well keep counting, since he'd gotten so far.

Shadow knocked on the door, "Sonic? Sonic, you ok in there?" He asked a little louder than usual to be heard even from behind the door.

Sonic snapped above the water to answer when he made out Shadow's voice through the somewhat deafening effects of the bath water. The sudden wall of air shocked his respiratory system and threw him into a loud coughing fit before he could reply to the other's question.

The black hedgehog, hearing the coughs was relieved, yet he was preoccupied that Sonic was not well at all, "Sonic. Sonic, are you alright in there? Are you feeling well?"

Sonic gripped the edge of the tub until the coughing subsided, and tried to slow down his breathing so he wouldn't wheeze. As he recovered, he attempted to find his voice, which seemed to have been swallowed at one point in the attack.

"I'm...okay...fine, fine..." He manage to rasp out, holding his throat, since it had begun to burn.

Shadow looked at the echidna with preoccupied eyes, "Do I have to believe him?"

"He always says he's fine when he's sick....." Knuckles stood and began making his way to the door. "There's nothing more meaningless than Sonic saying he's fine, believe me."

"I...heard that, mutt..." Sonic growled, despite his aching throat. "You wait till I get out there...I'll rip your.... dreads off..." Sonic was pushing himself out of tub, but slid on the wet side of the tub and tumbled to the floor with a loud thudding sound. "Ow...."

Shadow definitively didn't like that sound; he grabbed the handle of the door and opened it, seeing the blue hedgehog on the ground. He walked next to him and crouched, "No one that is fine lays on the floor." He muttered helping him into a sitting position, "Now, tell me. Are you ok or not? And I want the truth."

"I slipped out of the tub. I'm fine, just wet and peeved." Sonic pouted, glaring, but not really at anyone. If the gaze did have a recipient, it was probably the open door.

The black hedgehog stood up, bringing with him Sonic, "And how the hell did you slip?" He asked letting go of the hedgehog to see if he could stand up on his own.

Knuckles looked at the blue hedgehog and leaned on the doorway with crossed arms, "It's not like you to slip on the tub, Sonic." He confirmed.

Sonic raised an eyebrow, but looked away and down, teetering on the heels of his feet just barely, yet keeping his height. They were ganging up on him. Typical of Knuckles, but Shadow helping him was an unseen disadvantage. "I wasn't paying attention..." He growled.

Shadow nodded, and seeing that the blue hedgehog wasn't falling, he walked away, "Dry up, Sonic. You don't want to get a cold, do you?" He said before disappearing from the room.

Knuckles looked at him and smirked, then he followed Shadow to the living room.

Sonic glared after the two, until they vanished out of the door, then sighed shakily. Another close call. Really, Sonic was beginning to think Knuckles just knew when the best time to accuse Sonic about lying about his health was. He did, Sonic was sure, because he enjoyed torturing the blue hero. Medical work was the Guardian's payback.

Shadow sat back on the couch, "I swear, I have never been so preoccupied about someone so often..." He confessed to the echidna.

"Sonic is easy to worry about. He is far too kind, too giving for his own good, and where in some cases, such as yours and mine, that is quite a trait to find in anyone." He looked as though he wasn't standing in the room with Shadow, but was somewhere else.

"However, not everyone he meets will be a friend to Sonic, and I think he is rather foolish to believe otherwise. Giving someone a chance.... that is all right. Taking risks that could end with a separate head and body is not."

The black hedgehog nodded, "You still have to protect him from me," He said looking down at his gloveless hands, "In the woods he was able to stop me, but I don't know if he can do it next time... I... don't want to hurt him..."

"I'm sure you don't, but I don't believe it's yours, or my, decision. Not anymore. Sonic will feel hurt no matter what happens, if you leave or if you stay. In your leaving he would become as he did become, worried and fasting; he did not even speak until I told him I'd track you."

"And if through staying, you do come to attack him and harm him..." Knuckles left that sentence hang. "I find myself less sure than I was before that if you do try to murder Sonic, you will succeed. Whatever he used to bring you back is obviously anchoring you down, right now, is it not?"

Shadow remained silent for some seconds, then he folded his arms on his knees and looked at the ground, "Yes... there's something in him that keeps me and my sanity anchored together... yet... if I go mad again, there's no guarantee that he'll be able to successfully stop me. When I was in that state, I just wanted to kill, kill and kill again. I couldn't stop..."

"Yet I distinctly remember you telling both of us that you would not harm us unless we interfered." Knuckles said, pointedly. "Which tells us that while you are not fully in control of your actions, something is fighting to give the innocent parties a chance to run."

"Knowing Sonic, he would try to stop you anyway but since there's at least some part of your conscious mind present, perhaps that is what Sonic grasped hold of to bring you back."

The black hedgehog looked at him, "I remember entering the base, the killing, the run to the forest, but not exactly how I did it. It was like a bad shaped dream. All rushed and poor of details. That is until I met with you. There, my mind started to clear, but just barely to not kill you straight away. Then Sonic spoke to me, and everything just fell into place."

Knuckles smiled. "Then Sonic has found something about you, or himself maybe, to hold you from whatever it is that compels your madness. After all, no one is born insane, something happens to make us that way."

Shadow looked in the purple eyes of the echidna before sighing and flopping on the back of the couch, "The fact is... that I was not born, but created. I was never five years old, nor a teen for I was brought to this world directly with this body.

That is another reason that I'm this unstable. I never had an infancy where you learned how to live. They gave me a body of a weapon of mass destruction and just threw me into the world. If it wasn't for the granddaughter of my creator I would be totally clueless and GUN would use me for their dirty works, telling me that it was the right thing to do."

Knuckles gave him a sympathetic look. "Then Sonic has helped us both in similar ways."

"I guess you're right." He said closing his eyes.

"Right about what?" Sonic stepped into the living room, vigorously rubbing his head quills with a towel, trying hard to get out the remaining moisture. His fur, still somewhat wet, and a strange glisten to it, making it seem more silver than blue. "What's Knuckles right about?"

The black hedgehog opened his eyes and looked at Sonic, "We were just talking about my moment of madness yesterday and how you managed to stop me."

Sonic frowned. "That again? You two are like a broken record." He flopped down on the floor in front of the couch, since there was no real room for him. "I mean, you all keep talking about how horrible it was and stuff. Relax, it's over." He sneezed as he finished.

Shadow smirked, "No, Sonic. We talked more deeply about it, and I told him what was happening in my mind while I was in that status."

"Ah. So he knows about that girl? And everything?" Sonic seemed on the verge of relief, teetering, happiness depending on Shadow's answer.

"Although I told him of my origins, I have not said names or dwelled into it too much. It is still painful to remember."

"Okay then! That's a start at least." Sonic grinned, and sneezed again. "Crap." He grumbled, then resumed drying his quills.

The black hedgehog chuckled at that sneeze, "Told you to dry off before you could get a cold."

"Would've been dried sooner if I wasn't being interrogated..." The blue hedgehog muttered, trying to reach one of the still dripping quills at the back of his head. "You two just want me to get sick so Knux can have you hold me down and force-feed me Therma-Flu."

The black hedgehog smirked, "It's you that started the interrogating by coming here instead of drying off, so it's not my fault." The echidna, sitting next to him, found himself grinning a little and nodding slightly.

"So it's my fault you two came into the bathroom, acting like you thought I was dying?" Sonic grumbled, almost succeeding in reaching the stubborn quill with the towel, though his arms were starting to ache. "And I am dry. As dry as I'll get, technically..."

The black hedgehog's eyes glinted devilish once again, "Want me to help you dry off, Sonic?" He asked showing his white teeth in a half devil half-sweet smile.

Sonic froze and blinked at Shadow. "Um.....no.. I'm okay..." He mumbled, feeling like he was being stared at by every eye in the world. 'I should smack him with the towel for this. He's REALLY doing it on purpose now...'

The black hedgehog raised an eyebrow, "Are you sure of that, Sonic?" He asked as his smile never faded.

"...yeah....." He was slowing losing the frozen feeling and he started to dry his quills again, much slower this time. "I'm good..." Another abrupt sneeze.

Shadow stood up and crouched in front of the blue hedgehog, their noses almost touching once again as ruby locked with emerald, "Are you really, really sure, Sonic?" He asked in a hushed tone.

Sonic made a low murmuring noise, which sounded like a slew of gibberish, as he tried to sort out his voice and keep from heating up again. He looked down, hiding his eyes from the other hedgehog now, since Shadow's were sucking him in.

There was a chuckle, followed soon by laughs as the Guardian saw the even unfold; this was too much even for him. To see Sonic literally lose his voice in embarrassment was truly something.

The black hedgehog turned his head to face him, then he crawled behind the blue furry and took a hold of the towel, "Let me help you here. Quills are difficult to dry, and I don't want to pin you to the floor so the Red One can give you that medicine."

"Not now, at least." He added at last.

Attempting to protest Shadow's help, Sonic mumbled wordlessly, and felt the towel slipping out of his hand, and at first held on. In the end however, he let it slide from his grasp with a loud sighing grumble.

The echidna stood up and walked to the kitchen, "You guys want something to eat?" He asked poking his head into the living room.

Shadow stopped his rubbing and looked at him, "Yes. Everything will do fine." He said resuming his small task.

Knuckles looked at Sonic, "You want something? Perhaps a chili dog like usual?"

Sonic shook his head slowly, eyes flicking back towards Shadow, trying to see what the hedgehog was doing; the rubbing was obvious, but he was being paranoid at the moment. "...not hungry."

Knuckles shrugged and returned into the kitchen. Shadow, instead, took a hold of a strand of quills and started drying them, "What's up, Sonic? You decline a chili dog offer?"

"Not hungry, s'all..." Sonic shrugged, leaning his head back slightly so Shadow wasn't pulling at his quills. "I think of more than food, you know...." he grinned to himself. "Every once in a while."

The black hedgehog took another strand of quills and worked on them, "Listening to Tails, you're too obsessed with that type of food to decline an offer like that."

"Well, why eat if I'm not hungry? It's kinda...pointless, isn't it? Unless I'm bored or it's ice cream. Ice cream can never be turned down." Sonic was grinning wildly now. "Besides...Knuckles makes...REALLY bad chilidogs..."

"I heard that, hedgehog!" Came the bellowed comment of the echidna from the kitchen. Shadow smiled and shook his head, moving on with his drying task and careful to not pull the blue hedgehog's quill too much.

"Oh crap..." Sonic's head sunk down between his shoulders. "I forgot that just because I can't see his ears, doesn't mean I get away with telling the truth...." He was still beaming though, even if the smile had shrunk.

It took Shadow just a few minutes to dry all the quills on Sonic's head, and when he was done he stood up, "Done." He announced looking down at the hedgehog.

"Already?" Sonic blinked, looking confused. "It usually takes an hour to dry them when I do it...."

The dark hedgehog chuckled, "I guess that you don't know how to do that, right?"

Sonic stuck his tongue out at the other furry, mocking anger. "Well, if I could see the back of my head, I could probably do it in a few minutes too. I noticed you didn't have your quills perfectly dry when you first came out of the shower."

Shadow crouched again, "You forget what I am, Sonic. I was labeled by my creator as 'the ultimate life form'. A perfect being unable to get a cold or a flu or any other illness that that weak." He whispered into his ear.

"Oh...right..." Sonic gave a sheepish smile. «.... comes in handy I'll bet though. No Therma-Flu. Man, that stuff is nasty..." The hedgehog shuddered in disgust.

The black creature tilted his head to the side, "I'm not sure of that, Sonic. Albeit I'm immune to most of the diseases, I suffer badly from Chaos Drainages. They could even kill me."

"Chaos.... drainages...?" Sonic leaned back against Shadow to look up at him better. "What's that?"

Shadow placed his arms around the blue figure, "It's... a complicated theory, but in short it says that to live, you use Chaos Energy meddled with your own energy. When you deplete your source of Chaos Energy, you feel pretty tired and you usually end up sleeping a lot to recuperate that energy.

While you are devoid of this energy, you rely exclusively on your own to survive. It's not a big deal. You'll have your supply of Chaos Energy back in a few days, depends on how much of it you can store in your body. But for me it's another story. I told you that I was created with the Chaos Emeralds, right?"

Sonic blinked a few times, trying to process all of the new information, and at the same time, ignore Shadow's arms around him. He found he could pretend they were not present more effectively if he focused fully on Shadow's words. At the other's question he nodded, "So that Gerald guy could cure Maria..."

The black one nodded, "Exactly. You see, Sonic, when I was created, Gerald created me exclusively with Chaos Energy. This means that, if I was depleted of all the Chaos Energy I have in my body, I won't survive. Luckily, I have plenty of it, so the possibility of that happening is pretty remote."

Sonic nodded again, understanding. "That's good. Even if you do run out though, Knuckles and I can always help." Sonic smiled. "I mean, if you came into contact with a source for Chaos Energy or something, that would help, wouldn't it?"

Shadow shrugged and stood up, "I don't know about that. It never happened and I don't know if my system will start collecting Chaos Energy once it has stopped for lack of it."

"Hmm..." Sonic thought about that. "Well, does that mean you have a fixed supply at all times, or are you constantly remaking it, like the Emeralds do?"

"I truly don't know about that. Gerald never dwelled into it. Maybe I just produce it until I reach the maximum and then stop."

Sonic shifted, making himself more comfortable. "Maybe. I know Knuckles is full of the junk. He can find the Emeralds if he's close enough. Really comes in handy when we're looking for 'Botnik's latest lair and all, though I think he must turn the whole thing off at some point, or he'd know when I'm sneaking up behind him."

The dark hedgehog walked away from Sonic's back and sat on the couch, "Back in the woods he told me that he could sense Chaos Energy, but how can he do that?"

"Well, he grew up around the stuff, and it's technically his job to be able to keep the whole Chaos Energy thing in check." Sonic waved his hands to emphasize. "It's weird, but I guess that's half of him being Guardian and all."

Shadow was going to say something else, but the door slammed open to reveal a pink hedgehog with a hammer in her hands; the dark one's eyes narrowed dangerously on seeing her.

"Unhand my Sonikku, you horrible monster!" The hedgehogette demanded, eyes burning with determination. She stomped into the room, weapon held high over her head. "I know what you're up to, and I won't let you take advantage of him anymore!" She looked like she meant it too.

"Amy...just calm down," Sonic warned, holding his hands up.

"No, Sonic! Don't defend him! I know what's going on, and he's going to let you go and walk out of here!" Amy's voice was full of malice. "Trying to hurt my Sonic to get to me!?! I'll never stand for it! I love my Sonikku and no one else!"

Shadow's ears folded back as his head lowered a little and his quills raised; his eyes narrowed dangerously and he let out a deep guttural growl as a warning.

"Amy, you've got the wrong idea...put the hammer down, okay? Everything's fine--"

"No! He's obviously controlling you!" Amy yelled, swinging her hammer as she came forward. "I won't stand for it another second!" She redirected her attention to Shadow's dark form. "You leave him alone! You can't force him to stop loving me, and I'll never desert my Sonic! Our bond is eternal!" As she ranted, Sonic looked like he was going to laugh and throw up at the same time.

The black hedgehog stood up, "Are you saying... that you want to fight me?" He asked giving her the same crazy grin that he had in the woods, "Do you know... that your life will end here? Is that ok with you?" He asked tilting his head a little to the side as he started to channel Chaos Energy in his right hand.

Amy faltered noticeably, but regained her pluck seconds later. "I'm not afraid of you, monster! I won't let you take my Sonic away!" She grimaced, and tightened her hold on the hammer.

Sonic was grasping Shadow's charged hand. "Don't do it, Shadow." He whispered, trying to bring the hedgehog back before a fight broke out. "It's alright, don't get worked up over her..."

Shadow had difficulties in hearing what Sonic was saying to him; however, his eyes widened a little on hearing his voice for a fraction of a second before resuming a death glare and charging up more Chaos Energy.

"Such a 'courageous' little brat, you are pink nuisance. I wonder, will you be as courageous as you are now once I start tearing you limb from limb?" He asked in his half-crazed state.

"I may not be as strong as you, but Sonic's love is on my side!" Amy countered, and began her advancement again, much slowly and more caustiously.

"Amy, stay back. He means it." Sonic told the girl warningly, but she paid him no mind.

"I'm going to free you, Sonic. Stay out of this!"

Shadow's right hand clenched, and the Chaos Energy brust to life and quickly shaped into a sword of sizzling light; he brought his left hand over his eyes and looked at Amy through his fingers. His crazy grin now full visible on his face.

"So be it, brat. So be it."

"Prepare to die!" Amy yelled, and charged head on, her battle cry accompanied by a shout from Sonic, who was holding onto Shadow by his waist, in futile attempt to keep him there.

Shadow didn't need to move as with a quick move of his left arm he moved the Chaos sword to cut Amy's hammer and make her fall backwards; once he saw her on the ground, he pointed the energy weapon to her forehead.

"Are you ready to die?"

Amy squealed in shock as her only means of defense was sliced in two, and she tumbled backward in surprise, and thanks to Shadow. She gave another squeak of pure terror when the sparking weapon loomed in front of her face.

Sonic reached out and grabbed the wrist of the hand holding the Chaos-made sword, trying to keep Shadow from hurting the obviously defeated female. "Shadow stop, you don't want to do this!"

"It doesn't matter what he does!" Amy blurted, glaring at the dark hedgehog. "I wouldn't come over here if I didn't have something I could use against him even if he does hurt me!"

"Amy, will you shut up?!"

Shadow crouched in front of the pink hedgehog, and even if the blue furry was holding his wrist, he easily planted his Chaos Sword between the fingers of the girl's left hand.

"What DID you do? Be nice and I might... kill you without causing you pain."

"You think I'm dumb enough to come here and attack someone who's hurting the greatest, strongest, and bravest hero in the world, thinking I could win by myself?" Amy laughed breathlessly, her fear still showing through. "No such luck, I'm not that stupid."

"Amy..." Sonic started, but the pink girl continued.

"I told the police where you were, what you were doing!" She was grinning in triumph, for now sirens, though faint, could be heard. "And in a few seconds, you're going to get what you deserve!"

Shadow's eyes opened in shock and his fur stood on end; if she had warned the police that he was there, then GUN surely knew it.

The black hedgehog stood up and closed his eyes; a few seconds later he started chuckling evilly, "You're forgetting, little brat, that I DECIMATED a whole base in a single night. It won't be hard for me to go out there and kill again."

Knuckles ran into the living room and widened his eyes as he saw what was happening and heard the sirens in the background. His eyes fell on Shadow, and he came to a sudden stop. This was bad. The hedgehog was back into his madness, and Amy was his current target.

The dark one opened his eyes and he looked at her with hate and madness, "But you won't be there to see it. No... you will be here..." He left the sentence hang for a few seconds, "You will be here with your little pink throat sliced in half. A perfect death for you." He said preparing to deliver the fatal blow, "You will feel your own life slip away from you."

Amy eyes widened, and she looked as though she was about to start screaming.

"Shadow, stop it!" Sonic grabbed the hedgehog and jerked him backwards, throwing off the hedgehog's aim for the girl. "That'll just give them another reason to view you as the bad guy here!"

The dark hedgehog quickly regained his balance and looked at Sonic in the eyes, "Why do you care? The world would be better without people like her. YOU would be better without her annoying presence around."

"Maybe, but this is definitely not the time to be debating on different ways to gut her." Sonic looked over towards the Guardian and nodded in Amy's direction. "Do me a favor and make her go to sleep or something. Gently though." Knuckles nodded solemnly and crouched beside Amy, thumping the girl lightly on the side of her head. She was out cold in a second.

"Much obliged, now she can't tell them where we're going. Any idea where Tails is?"

Shadow clenched his fist and gritted his teeth in an effort to stop himself from just tearing the unconscious girl apart; he shakily brought his left hand over his eyes as his right one refused to let the energy sword dissipate.

"He went out early this morning. We can get a message to him from Angel Island, I'm sure."

"Good." Sonic nodded slowly. "Shadow, you remember when you did that flashy thing? Where we were one place then another? Does that work only with places you've been, or what?"

Hearing Sonic's voice asking him something, the black hedgehog snapped out of his distressed status and looked at him confused, "Sorry?"

"That.... Chaos Control, wasn't it? Do you think you can get us somewhere you've never seen?"

"I don't know... I can only Chaos Control to places that I have seen, but I never tried to do it with a place I have never seen. I can try if you describe me that place."

"Knuckles?" Sonic looked toward the scarlet creature, receiving a nod. As the Echidna began describing where they wanted to go, Sonic picked up the unconscious Amy and laid her on the couch.

Shadow nodded slightly, "I can try, but I might end up in a total different place." He said morphing the sword back to a simple charge and waiting for Sonic to finish with the pink nuisance.

"As long as it's not in jail, or in front of a cop car, I think we'll be just fine, no matter where you end up." Sonic readjusted Amy so that she at least looked somewhat comfortable. "Or over water.... that wouldn't be good..."

The black hedgehog and nodded before he snapped the fingers of his free hand together, "Oh, yeah! How could I forget about that?" He asked to himself, then he looked at Sonic, "Were are my shoes and gloves? You said to me that you were going to wash them. I don't see them here in the living room."

Sonic blinked for a minute, before Knuckles intruded. "They're in the workshop, though they're still stained. There hasn't been time for us to wash them yet. Your gloves are down there too, Sonic."

"Open up! We know that you're in there Project: Shadow!" There was a loud banging on the door, before, in a low whisper, "Laser cut through it, I want it this house now!"

The black repressed his rage as he ran down in the workshop, searching frantically for his belongings, terrified that they could get him back and somewhat scared of going berserk once again.

Sonic followed the dark hedgehog, keeping pace with him as the other became more and more frantic. Knuckles was right behind them coming down the stairs, but he did not rush. He was watching the door slowly be burned away.

"Calm down Shadow, let's just hurry out of here." He looked back up toward the main floor. "Knuckles?! Let's go, already!" The Guardian gave a curt nod and hurried after them, locking the workshop door behind him.

Shadow turned around and gave the blue hedgehog a somewhat scared look, "You don't understand! Those shoes were made especially for me to channel Chaos Energy through them to be able to run as fast as I am able!" He half screamed

"All right, all right." Sonic whispered soothingly. "We'll find them. Knuckles usually leaves things in open areas." He looked back toward the stairs, and Knuckles gestured in an almost random direction.

"They're on Tails desk, over in the corner."

The black hedgehog looked at one of the corners and saw his belongings; with great relief, he rushed to the table and grabbed them in his left hand, "Ok, now I'm ready to Chaos Control." He said walking in the center of the room.

"Good, all set then----" Sonic grinned, then jerked is head upward, ears pushed forward at the crash that suddenly resounded through the house. The door had finally been cut through it sounded like, and the intruders were pouring into the living room above.

"Spread out! Find the Project, and use all necessary force to reobtain it! I don't care who we have to kill, I want that weapon at gunpoint NOW!!!"

The hero went slightly pale, and snatched his own bloody gloves, jumping into the middle of the room with Shadow, and Knuckles who had already reached them.

"I say it's time to leave, yes?"

Shadow nodded and slightly raised his right hand, which was charged with Chaos Energy, then, with two silent words, they were gone from the workshop and the house.

GUN would find nothing but a faint trace of dissipating Chaos Energy.


	7. Chapter 7— Angel Island

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Chapter 7 — Angel Island

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Sonic stumbled for the fifth time, still picking the odd, prickly seed-things from his fur as he walked. He liked the Floating Isle for its view, and for all the open space to run in, but the forests were the major down point in his book. He couldn't just speed through them, since he'd more than once been close lined by low-hanging vines and branches, which meant he had to traipse his way through the whole thing.

Also, he was looking for someone.

"Shadow?!" His voice only carried so far before bouncing back to him and reverberating throughout the treeline. "Shadow, where are you?!"

They'd gotten to the Island safely after the Chaos Control, though Shadow had almost missed or so, and would've landed them into a large sea if they had gone two feet over to their right. And that was at least a day or so ago. Knuckles had disappeared after the first night, telling Sonic he still had duties to attend to; and that had been the last he'd seen Shadow as well.

"Shadow!!!"

The aforementioned streaked creature was sitting just on the edge of the broken bridge in front of the Master Emerald's altar. He liked the place; the big emerald gave him a sensation of calmness that could even counter his madness to some extents. He had liked it for its soothing energies as soon as he had felt them wash over him.

Right now, he was... relaxing on the spot looking at the landscape and the setting sun, remembering how much he had wanted to see them back when he was on ARK, and he whished deeply that Maria could be there with him to see such beauty.

He wondered why GUN wanted to use him and his abilities, more his abilities than him since they didn't cared about him as a person, but as a weapon, against such wonders.

"There you are!" Sonic growled, coming to the end of the temple stairs, and using his speed to zip up them. For a normal hedgehog, the climb would've taken a good fifteen minutes at least, but for Sonic, a mere ten seconds was forever. As soon as he reached Shadow's side, he sat down. "What'd you come all the way out here for?"

Sonic had never been too partial to the altar, to the Master Emerald itself. Sure, it was pretty to look at, but that only lasted a moment or two at most. Then it began a rather dull, glowing rock in Sonic's eyes. He also disliked the steady pulse it gave out, because once around it, he felt like he never wanted to leave; the energy it gave him was addictive.

"I like it here. Keeps my mind at ease..." Shadow whispered back never looking away from the sunset, "And I like the view."

Sonic shivered, as the Emerald's aura of almost intelligent power brushed his senses, but forced himself to focus more on the fading sunlight, as it shone in a splendid array of color for the day's finale, giving the dark blue water a shimmering effect. "I'm not much for the place...but the view's alright, I guess. Knuckles gets quite a show up here."

Shadow nodded and remained in silence, staring at the beautiful display that nature was giving.

"Why so quiet? You've barely said a word since we got here..." He leaned over and gently prodded the hedgehog, curiosity getting the better of him. "I mean, you're all spacey and stuff, like your body's here but your brain's off on permanent vacation."

"She... wished so much... to see the beauty of the Earth... but she never had a chance...all because of the greed of her own kind..." He muttered more to himself than to Sonic.

"She.....?" Sonic was lost for but a moment. "Oh...Maria?" He changed his seated position so he could hug his knees.

"She was so kind.... and they killed her like she was the worst evil around. They killed a girl of 17 years without even flinching."

Sonic bowed his head, silent. He hated thinking of how torn Shadow must feel with his best friend gone. Imagining the pain Shadow was probably going through made him hate himself for reasons unknown to him. "I'm sorry, Shadow....really, I am..."

"Don't worry about it, Sonic. It's not your fault. It's GUN's fault..." He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "And mine." He added.

Sonic's ears flicked. "I've told you before Shadow, it's not your fault." leaned on him slightly, "It would be your fault maybe if you were standing right beside her and simply refused to help her. But you wanted to save her. You're not to blame for GUN's crime."

"Yet, I could have used Chaos Control to aid her..."

"Everyone thinks back to what they could've done, should've done." Sonic sighed to himself. "We all regret things we didn't do when we had the chance, and while not everyone you meet has lost someone dear to them to murder, there are other ways to regret."

Shadow finally looked at him in the eyes, "You mean?"

"Even I do, yes." Sonic said, eyes downcast. "Of course, I didn't know him like you did Maria.....well....I guess you could say I did, if I know myself as well as I think I do."

The black hedgehog cast his gaze away, "Sorry, I would have never imagined... I mean... you're so carefree..."

Sonic snorted, somewhat amused. "You make me sound like a child, Shadow." His smile turned almost solemn. "But isn't looking down at the world with a smile a little better than with tears..?"

The black hedgehog sighed a little discouraged, "I don't know, Sonic... Even if I look like an adult and act like one, I lack true experience of life... You don't know it, but leaving out the fifty years of my confinement, well... I'm four, maybe five years old at most..."

"Tall for five, aren't you?" Sonic grinned, playing with one of his own quills. "Don't sweat it, Shadow. We'll help you along the way. You can learn right alongside Knuckles; he needs a study buddy. Badly."

"Why?"

"Well, Knuckles grew up here, on this Island." Sonic pulled at the quill, wincing as he did so, but strangely bored, so he didn't stop. "Practically in front of this altar. I didn't meet the guy, no one did in fact, until Robotnik crash landed here after one of our spats, and tricked Knuckles into fighting me for the rock behind us." Sonic thumbed over his shoulder with his free hand, now twisting the quill around and around.

"It took forever to stop Knuckles, then Robotnik made off with the Emerald and I had to help him get it back, because the Master Emerald more powerful than even the Chaos ones. Then there was all this havoc wreaked, and all that stuff. Finally we got it back, and Knux was a little more civil."

"But he doesn't really know much about what goes on in the world, or how to treat people because he's still barely comfortable being around me and Tails." A shrug, and the quill was pulled again. "I mean, the first other person he met made him think he was his friend then backstabbed him. He's really bad about meeting new people now."

Shadow nodded, "I see." He said laying down on the marble ground with his arms folded under his head and looking up at the stars, "Beautiful, isn't it?"

Sonic looked up, then smiled. "I guess so, if you're a hopeless romantic, like certain people..." He rocked on his haunches slowly, finally releasing the quill he'd been messing with. "I mean, stars and full moons are more of a couple thing..."

The black hedgehog smiled, "Maria and I always watched the planet and the stars on the background, always wondering how they looked from here."

"Probably the same, wouldn't they?" Sonic asked turning enough so that he was somewhat facing Shadow. "I mean, they always look the same to me, no matter where I am. Little white dots and a lot of black."

Shadow shook his head, "No. They may be the same stars, but from space you can see them better. They are... more brilliant and you may feel different to see just stars every where and not just over your head."

"Well, I'm not in much of a hurry to go to space, you know. It's cold and everything, and it doesn't really look like a good place for just running for the heck of it." Sonic frowned. "I mean, looking at it is fine, but being out there....it makes you feel so small..."

The dark one smiled a little, "Then I should take you there at least once, you know, to let you understand and feel what truly it is the place you live in."

"Wouldn't that cost a lot Shadow? I mean, the rocket, the fuel, and all that stuff?" He tried to count it on his fingers. "I mean, that alone would take a fortune to pay for."

Shadow stood up and managed to pin Sonic to the ground, "You're forgetting my Chaos Control, Sonic." He said smiling as his facial features were illuminated by the gentle green light of the Master Emerald, "I can Chaos Control there pretty easily."

Sonic went slightly flustered, being pinned beneath Shadow, though any real redness was hidden by the lighting, a small blessing to the hero. "Yeah, but....it's space! We'd explode....!!"

Shadow chuckled heartedly, "Sonic! I told you that I was created in a space colony! It's still up there. ARK's size reach half of the moon's. The thing is too big to be brought back to the planet. It would cause a catastrophe." He commented lowering his head a little.

"It's still up ther---eep!" Sonic's face flushed almost completely as Shadow's face loomed closer. He felt his heart speed up furiously, and he grasped for a voice to try to tell Shadow he needed a little more space to breathe than this.

Shadow tilted his head a little to the side and smiled gently, in confusion, "What's up, Sonic?"

'My heart-rate for starters....' Sonic shook his head slowly, trying to clear his mind so that he wouldn't freak out and push Shadow off of him. Around the dark creature he was always careful now, so that the other wouldn't ever take any of his actions the wrong way.

"I'm...fine..." He murmured, holding back his shock and slight fear from his voice.

The black hedgehog raised an eyebrow, "You sure Sonic? The tone of your voice is.... kinda different than your usual."

"Cross my heart..." He stammered. 'Which I think might rupture or something in a second...' His ears were twitching slightly, lost between folding and pricking up to hear Shadow's voice. "You just...kinda surprised me when you pounce me...like that...."

"Surprise you? I thought that action like these would never surprise you like this..."

"Well....see, it usually depends on who I'm with. I never know what to expect from you." Sonic felt a slight wind and shivered, but only barely. "I mean Knuckles and I mostly fight, though it's not really fighting...me and Tails, we just...hang out. I've known them so long, or something like it, that I can guess what they're going to do next. You're still able to scare the living daylights out of me because you can always catch me off guard."

Shadow's smile widened and he chuckled happily; this caused him to drop another inch towards Sonic's face. When he finally calmed down, he looked directly in the blue hedgehog's emerald eyes, "Strange, I thought that you would already know me to some extents to expect what I do."

"Like the fact that you're loving every second of this?" Sonic mumbled under his breath, becoming trapped in the shining, blood-red gems above him. His face could've been a light bulb by that time, and he was trying to find a way to sink down into the marble beneath them.

The dark hedgehog tilted his head to the side once again, "What?" He asked as curiously as a children eager of knowledge would do.

"What 'what'?" The hedgehog asked, brought back by the question.

Shadow leaned a little closer, "What did you mumble under your breath?"

Sonic gave a small yipe and tried to press backwards, unhappy with the unyielding stone under him. "I said you seem to enjoy jumping me....." He managed, withholding his discomfort so he wouldn't stammer his words.

The black creature smiled happily, and his eyes showed that, "Yes, indeed. I like it. I don't know why and why only with you, but I like it very much. It... makes me... warm inside."

"So you playing pranks on me you happy?" Sonic groaned. "I knew I shouldn't have left you alone with Red, now I've got two of you running around."

"It's not the pranks that makes me warm inside, but the fact that I'm so close to you." He said, leaning in a little more so their noses touched once again, "Whenever I'm this close to you... I'm more than happy. I feel.... somewhat complete. Whole. I'd hate to lose you... I feel that... without your presence, I would go insane... and utterly... abandoned..."

Sonic felt like screaming, pushing Shadow away, sighing, and floating all at once. "You're talking crazy, you know that?"

Shadow smiled, closed his eyes, and shook his head, "Sonic, Sonic, Sonic.... I AM crazy, or you have forgotten what happened in that forest?"

Sonic rolled his eyes, unable to help himself. "Not that kind of crazy, Shadow. That's scary crazy. This...well this is scary too, but not I'm-gonna-die scary; more like....I don't know...couple crazy."

Shadow opened his eyes, confusion showing in them, "Couple... crazy?"

"Yeah. You know, couples? Two people, holding hands, hugging, and all that? Couple. Well, this is like that. You're talking like we're a couple, which means it's couple crazy, see?"

"Well, you hugged me more than once, so you really can't say that I'm the 'couple crazy' one..." He said remembering the various occasions, "You even rubbed my ears, which I found out that I like very much."

"Yeah, well...that's a different kind of thing." Sonic shifted a little, finding the conversation seemed to be turning against him.

"And what that would mean?"

"Well, that would mean more that I care about you. Couples hug and things, but they hug with...a different meaning. And they kiss and all the things that come after kissing...." Sonic sighed. "Man, I thought explaining this to Tails was hard...."

"Kissing as a mother would kiss her children?"

"Um.... no. Kissing as in how the mom kisses the dad when the kids aren't looking." Sonic raised an eyebrow.

Shadow raised an eyebrow in total confusion, "How?" That, for him, was just a simple and innocent question.

Sonic stuttered for a moment, startled, trying to find the right words. "Well...it's complicated, really....it's easier to show people then really, you know, tell them....because it's not really just an action. There's a lot of meaning behind it, so...that makes it hard to explain...."

"And what meaning would be behind that type of kiss?"

"Well, it's a way of people showing they love each other. Not like kids and parents, or friends and things. But the kind of love that the parents have, or some friends develop. It's usually as complicated as the kiss is, so you don't really understand until you feel it." Sonic shrugged. "Probably why it's so hard for me."

"Why is that hard for you to feel this 'love'?"

"Well..." Sonic shifted again, his arms having gone numb and tingly. "I guess I haven't found the right person yet. Though I'm not really looking, cause if they're all like Amy, I'm not sure I want to fall in love just yet. Plus you're supposed to feel something special around that person, which is where the kissing and such come in. It's all interconnected."

Shadow sat up, but never let his hands move from their current position, "Sonic... what do you feel when around me?"

"Is this a trick question..?" Sonic asked, trying to change the subject before he had to do anymore describing.

Shadow shook his head, "No. I just... want to know."

Sonic sighed. "I don't...know exactly." He started, or tried to. "It's more of an odd fuzzy feeling. Like you're made of glass and if I'm not careful around you, I'll end up knocking you over; then it's more as if you're fire, and as wonderful as it is to be around you light and warm and such, you can get too close or you'll get burned." He was trying to avoid Shadow's gaze as he continued.

"It's such a weird problem though, because it only happens when I see you upset, sad or angry..." His voice was dropping in volume. "The rest of the time...it's like you should be here. Like if you leave things just go.... wrong.."

"Like I said, couple crazy."

Shadow moved his head so he was able to look into Sonic's eyes, "So... this makes us a couple?"

Sonic blinked rapidly, all brainwork losing its focus with that single question. "Wha?"

"I asked you if this makes us a couple." He said gently.

"I know what you asked me, that's why I'm asking." Sonic murmured, still trying to understand the question. "It's somewhat......more complex than that, Shadow. You don't just become a couple....well...you do kind of...but..."

"But?" He asked, tilting his head again in slight confusion.

"There's usually a lot more involved than just us liking each other. I explained it all just a second ago...." Sonic was grasping for straws, but his mind kept asking itself if they really were a couple, since they fit the definition mostly. "And we don't do most of that. I mean, we've never kissed or anything."

"Oh... ok...." He said releasing Sonic and sitting facing the horizon, "Sorry... it's just... that's hard to understand..." He said a little sadly for having troubled the blue hedgehog that much.

"That we've never kissed?" Sonic looked surprised, sitting up slowly after him, but still leaning back on his gloveless palms.

"That, and everything else that regards love and this couple thing..."

"I guess that's because it's so important to everyone. Everyone experiences love in really different ways, so it's hard to figure out." Sonic looked out over the water, knowing land wouldn't appear for another day, as the isle traveled. "It's usually the kissing part that makes you get the picture."

"And how the kiss will make you understand that?"

"Well...certain things are supposed to happen when you kiss the right person..." Sonic was watching the waves billow in the distance, like blue-black crystal, constantly in motion. "That's usually how people who're sure they love each other decide whether or not they're a couple. That and something horrible happening to one of them."

The black hedgehog looked at him, "Something... horrible?"

"Yeah, but that's not the most comfortable way for you to find out really. Like where the one person almost dies and the other one's all crying because they didn't realize before that they loved them, and didn't want to lose them. Then the hurt one always wakes up and there's all this kissing and such. Things like that."

"I.... don't understand..."

"Well, that doesn't really happen very often. Usually, it's just kissing that brings people together." Sonic shrugged and began messing with a pebble nearby, flicking it forward then reaching out to scoot it back. "It's the key part of the whole shebang."

"I understand, so... to understand if we're a couple we just need to kiss?" He asked locking ruby with emerald.

"I suppose...why do you ask?" Sonic wasn't really paying attention now, confident he'd explained the whole thing well enough for Shadow to understand it. He flicked the pebble again, this time having to stoop to get it back.

Shadow turned around to face him, a questioning look in his eyes, "Then... will you kiss me?"

"What?!" Sonic whipped around to look back at Shadow so quickly that something in the back of his head and neck snapped, and a shock of pain travel up and down his spine.

"I asked if you will kiss me, Sonic. You said that to understand if we're a couple we needed to kiss." He said, confirming that he had understood well.

"Well...yeah, I guess...." Sonic stammered. "Never thought you'd ASK me though.... usually it just sort of.. happens..."

"Should I have never asked, then?"

"I don't really...know..." Sonic thought. "I mean, I'm going off what I see and read, not personal experience..."

"So this is a first even for you?"

"Well, yeah, but I actually know about how you do it." Sonic felt a little superior with that knowledge on his side.

"And... how do you do it?"

Sonic flushed and resisted the urge to bury his face in his hands to hide it from Shadow, mostly because he know the other hedgehog would try to see if he thought he was hiding something. Instead he focused on his little stone, hoping he could answer a little easier that way. "You kinda...press your lips together....and well....it's easier to show than talk about...."

The black hedgehog tilted his head to the side, "Pressing lips together? You mean that I just have to kiss on the mouth?"

"Yeah, that's it, more or less...." He was burning a hole into the little rock as he batted it around. 'Focus on the rock, focus on the rock, the rock's not looking at you, everything's fine, and I think I've gone into cardiac arrest...' "It's simple, but it's not..."

Shadow was getting confused once more, "Then, will you show me how to do it?"

A slightly distressed noise escaped Sonic's mouth and he sunk back against Shadow, eyes somewhat wide and a little fearful looking.

Shadow stood still, waiting patiently for the blue hedgehog to show him this wonder called kiss.

Sonic remained still and silent for a while before sighing, "I...guess, I should, shouldn't I....?" He looked so lost, and sounded it too. "It's seems so silly until you're asked to do it..." He turned around slowly and looked Shadow in the eyes. "Sure you want me to..?"

Shadow nodded, in his eyes only firm resolution, "Yes."

Sonic downcast his eyes again, but decided to go ahead and get this over with, before he backed off and Shadow made Knuckles hold him down or something. He wouldn't have been surprised, really.

Eyes still down, he reached up slowly, and wrapped his arms around Shadow's neck pulling him close. Then, quickly, before he lost his nerve, he tilted his face upward and pressed his lips to Shadow's, with every intention of pulling away as soon as he got there.

Shadow froze for a moment before melting into Sonic's arms and kiss; his heart decided to take a skip and start running madly while his body felt weak, but not that same weakness that someone got when he fought too much, and he enjoyed it.

And he felt his face and stomach flare up with a welcomed hotness.

At the same time, Sonic's mind was reeling because...well, the kiss felt good. Not good...better than good, but he couldn't think of a better way to describe it yet, he was too busy trying to make it last longer. He felt dizzy, but like he was being lifted up, like he was weightless. His arms tightened subconsciously as he tried to get closer, to taste more. Because Shadow tasted...good.

Shadow found himself unprepared at Sonic's pressing towards him, and he ended up falling backward, taking with him the other hedgehog. Damn, he liked it. It was the best thing he had ever experienced, and he somewhat found himself wanting more.

Sonic was so startled when they landed that he jerked backwards, falling away from Shadow until he landed back on his chest, blinking in shock. His entire torso was filled with a strange tingle, and he felt like he couldn't breathe, even though he wasn't the one being pinned down this time.

Shadow looked at the blue hedgehog in the eyes and smiled widely in happiness, yet he was a little disappointed that the kiss had broke, even if accidentally.

"That was..." He trailed off.

Sonic was smiling softly, and leaned forward, his eyes having taken on a slightly glazed look. He still too amazed, still trying sort out the coursing feelings, to try and talk. Plus he was watching Shadow's mouth, tempted to continue the kiss.

The black hedgehog watched as his blue counterpart lower his head towards him and remained immobile, excitedly waiting for another kiss.

His arms gripped Shadow's shoulders carefully, and Sonic reconnected their lips, eager to feel more of the confused, yet wonderful sensations. His eyes had already drifted shut as he worked over the other's mouth, smiling into the kiss as it went on.

Shadow smiled back as his eyes closed automatically and found himself slightly pressing forwards, slightly opening his mouth to try and gently bite the soft lips that were pressing on his.

Sonic let out a small cry of surprise, but allowed Shadow to make the move, yielding willingly. He felt the light-headness starting up again, and his gripped Shadow's shoulders a little tighter, hoping to hold himself there, if only for a little longer.

The black hedgehog processed on biting, more like taunting, Sonic's lips. He loved this. Every moment of this kiss, was a bliss to him. He felt like in heaven.

Sonic was shivering, as though he was cold. He felt quite the opposite however, flushed and strangely warm, on the verge of breaking out into laughter, because this was the best feeling he'd ever had, and he was trying his hardest to hold onto it. He shifted a little, pushing closer to Shadow in an attempt to cease the play and go back to the actual kissing.

The black hedgehog found his head pinned to the ground and he let a small squeak of surprise leave his open mouth.

Sonic took complete advantage, readily deepening the kiss, and shuddering, gripping the dark creature's shoulders as he tasted as lightly and gently as he could, barely touching each new surface as waves of pleasure traveled about his body.

Then there was fact that Shadow was completely at his mercy right now. Oh yes, that was fun indeed. His revenge for all that teasing was sweeter then he could've thought.

The black hedgehog let out another muffled squeak and widened his eyes in slight shock as Sonic worked his magic on him; a second later, however, he just leaned back, relaxing, and enjoyed being at the mercy of the other hedgehog.

Sonic finally broke away, breathing heavily and rested his chin on Shadow's chest, shivering. It had been amazing, beyond that, and so quickly. He was trying hard to focus his eyes, they were cloudy and distorted, and his mind wasn't much better off. He sighed and tried to let himself calm down.

"Wow...." He mused, once he found his voice again.

"That was... that was... was..." Shadow babbled trying to find the words that could explain what he just felt.

"Told you so..." Sonic murmured blearily. He was still smiling, his voice breathless and half-tired, but content. "Admit it. I told you it was hard to understand until you did it, didn't I?"

The black hedgehog nodded, "And that you were reluctant on doing it..."

"Yeah....can't remember why now...I know I had a good reason..." He tried to think about it, but his mind was still bubbling over the make-out fest. Giving up he released Shadow's shoulder's and folded his arms onto the white fluff of Shadow's chest, laying his head on them in a mockery of the other's earlier pose.

The black hedgehog smirked devilish, "Don't mock me, Sonic." He said disappearing in his Chaos Control and reappearing over the blue hedgehog's back, thus pinning him down once again.

"You know that I have plenty of tricks that you don't." He whispered into his hear in his usual tone of taunting Sonic.

"Oh, you're just mad cause I'm the better kisser." Sonic countered, turning his head to look up over his shoulder. "You're obviously jealous!" He was attempting to roll over, and dislodge Shadow.

The black hedgehog wasn't going to lose his balance that soon, "Just give me a little time of practice, Sonic, and I'll become better than you." He said leaning in and kissing his 'captured' on the left cheek.

Sonic paused as the kiss landed on his cheek, but regained his senses in a moment. "I will not be surpassed so easily!" He growled out, and made another attempt at throwing Shadow off.

The black hedgehog let himself be dislodged from top of the blue furry and landed on his back, looking at the starred sky, "Sure, sure. Sonic." He said not convinced at all.

The minute he was free, Sonic rolled over and wrapped his arms around the dark hedgehog, curling up sideways against him and laying his head on Shadow's chest. "So I guess that's it then...."

Shadow slightly raised his head to look at the blue hedgehog's face, "Hm?"

"You know.....the whole couple thing?" Sonic's eyes were half-lidded now. "That's what this whole thing was about."

The black hedgehog looked at him smiling, "You know what? I really don't care if we call ourselves a couple or not."

"Just being with you.... makes me extremely happy."

"So you were just trying to get me to kiss you then, eh?" Sonic made a pretense of being angry with the other furry.

"I didn't said that. I WANTED to know, but now it really doesn't matter the name 'couple'"

"Ah, so I'm an experiment now? That's the sweetest thing you've ever said to me." Sonic rolled his eyes pointedly. "I just feel warm and fuzzy all over."

The black hedgehog smiled and rested his head on the marble surface, "Well, you enjoyed the experiment, haven't you?"

"Thank you for the observation, Sherlock." Sonic mumbled, snuggled into the warm chest fur, shivering as a chilled wind crossed over the temple and made his quills move faintly. He suddenly felt....giddy.

Shadow looked at him, "Want to go somewhere more repaired?"

"Probably should, before Knuckles sees us. He'd kill me if he saw us doing all this at the temple." He snuggled closer, reveling in Shadow's body warmth. "And it's going to be freezing up here any minute. Cold sucks almost as bad as water."

Sonic let out a strange giggle, unable to stop himself. "Yet, I really don't want to get up. I feel so nice and lazy right now! Perfect for a nap, even though I know I'll wake up to Knuckles ripping off my head and putting it on a pike."

The black hedgehog sat up, bringing the other on his lap, "Want me... to carry you?" He asked in his hushed tone in Sonic's ear, cradling him.

Sonic rolled his eyes. "And take the easy way out? Pssh! Don't you know me better than that?" He snuggled into the dark other's chest. "I think I'll just fall asleep right here. Screw walking, it's too cold."

Shadow chuckled again, "Who said I was gonna walk? Tell me where you want to go."

Sonic thought about it. "Well....there's a really nice little clearing not too far from here...I saw it when I was looking for you earlier. There's a little waterfall and a shallow pond and stuff. And a cave, with a bunch of planty things hanging in front of it. Mushy romantic, yeah, but I don't feel like going all the way back to Knuckles' hut yet."

The black hedgehog nodded and stood up, and a few seconds later, the altar melted away to let the small clearing described by the blue hedgehog take place.

Shadow placed Sonic on the ground and held him upright with his arms around the blue one's waist.

"Is this it?" He asked looking at him in the eyes.

The hero gaped for a moment, then turned a look of approval. "Yeah...it is..." He suddenly frowned and raised an eyebrow. "You know, you're not going to be allowed to teleport when we race tomorrow. It's cheating" He nodding again.

Shadow tightened his grip on the other hedgehog, bringing him close to him, "Are you... scared to lose?" He taunted in a whisper.

"No..." Sonic pecked him on the nose. "But it's not really a race if you just beam yourself over to the finish line. I refuse to give you anymore edge over me than you already have, thank you."

"Fine, fine." He chuckled, "But I'll win the same."

"Without your little cheat sheet travel tricks, I sincerely doubt that." Sonic was messing with the little flare of white fur on his companion's chest. "After all, I've been running twice as long as you; you've be sleeping this whole time. Statistics are on my side!" He grinned.

Shadow moved his head closer, "We'll see tomorrow if I'm still in shape or not." He said in his hushed tone that he used only with Sonic, "We'll see."

"Oh, like you being in shape will make a difference when you eat my dust?" The sapphire hedgehog was still playing with Shadow chest tuff, rather pleased that the other furry, for being to demonic looking, had such an adorable characteristic.

The dark hedgehog chuckled lightly and pressed his body to the other's, "Beware, Sonic. I'm not going to hold back just because I love you."

"I'm so afraid, Mr. Ultimate Lifeform." Sonic replied, finally pausing to look up, grinning.

Shadow smirked back, "You should be, Mr. Hero."

Never one to let the chance to challenge someone else's skills slip by un-tackled, Sonic stuck his tongue out. "Make me."

The dark hedgehog's smirk became devilish and he pinned again the other hedgehog on the ground, straddling him and sitting on his belly, "I repeat. You should." He whispered making his breath brush on the other's lips.

Sonic shivered and struggled to move his arms, frustrated when he found he couldn't, nor could he get enough momentum going to throw Shadow off of him. "Darn it, how come I always end up under you?! I'm the older one." He growled, pouting.

Shadow smirked again, "Because, Sonic, I surprise you. You said it yourself, didn't you?"

Sonic mocked his comrade's mouth movements, still somewhat pouting. If he could've moved them, he'd had crossed his arms over his chest. As it was, he couldn't, so he settled for mimicking the dark hedgehog.

The dark creature smiled and shook his head, "Do you always pout like this when you're trapped or don't know how to counter?"

"I'm not pouting!" Sonic rounded on the hedgehog, giving him an incredulous look. "I never pout! You're seeing things."

Shadow neared his lips to the other's, taunting him with his breath, "Right now, Sonic, you're pouting like hell." He whispered.

"Am not." Sonic mumbled, looking away to try and hide the tingling running up his spine. "And if you keep teasing me, I won't let you kiss me anymore."

The black furry folded his ears and put up the saddest face he could get, "You won't, right?" He asked with shaking voice and moistness in his eyes.

"Agh! Stop that!" Sonic growled, looking back. "Don't you dare start crying!"

In his act, Shadow managed to let some tears fall from his eyes as he sat up and looked down.

"Darn it, Shadow, cut it out!" Sonic sat up as soon as he could, and wrapping the other in his arms and pulling him close. "I hate it when you're acting all depressed!"

"Then kiss me." He muttered.

Sonic raised an eyebrow, a little surprised. Then he rolled his eyes and pressed his lips to Shadow's for a quick few seconds, then pulled away. "You act like you thought I meant it."

The black hedgehog snickered, "And you acted like I was really sad." He said getting up and walking towards the small cavern.

Sonic gawked after him for a moment, then shoved himself to his feet, walking after Shadow in a huff for having been tricked so easily. "You faker." He grumbled catching up and lightly thumping the other on the side of his head.

The dark one's ear twitched at that nickname, "Faker? You're the Faker around here. You're comparing yourself to me? Ah! You're not even good enough to be my fake." He countered mockingly.

"Not good enough?" Sonic looked outraged, but it was an obvious act. "This relationship just got started, and already you're giving me really good excuses to leave you!"

Shadow looked back at him with his sad act, "You wouldn't..." He said getting ready to release the tears.

"No. And you stop that, or I'm pushing you into the pond."

The ebony hedgehog returned smirking, "If you push me into the pond, then you'll have to hug me for I'll be all wet and cold." He said, looking at the pond. Then, as the idea of being held by the other hedgehog was very tempting, he started walking towards it, with the clear intention of jumping in the cold water.

"I'm not hugging you if you're soaked. First, that would make it insanely hard to sleep tonight. Second, I just don't like being wet." Sonic grumbled, crossing his arms, but not moving to stop the other.

"Then I'm gonna make you." He countered stopping in his track, "Once I get a grip on you, you won't be able to escape me."

Sonic took a sprinting position. "You're welcome to, if you think you can catch me."

Shadow smirked and Chaos Controlled behind the blue hedgehog, capturing him in his strong arms, "Caught."

Sonic yelped, and automatically tried to kick. "You leggo, I refuse to get wet!"

Shadow's mind worked out another plan of his, "Ok, but only if you do one thing for me."

"Like what?" Sonic was still pushing at Shadow's hands, eyes fixed on the pond's edge, a few feet or so away. Of all the places on Angel Island, he chose the one that Shadow would toss him into. Wonderful. And ingenious.

"Kiss me again, but not just like the one of a few minutes ago. I want a kiss like the one you pulled the second time at the altar." He said sinking his face into Sonic's neck and shoulder.

The captured hero gave a small yelp of surprise and stilled, trying to turn his face to see what Shadow was trying to do, if he really meant the request. "That again?"

Shadow raised the blue hedgehog from the ground and started walking slowly towards the pond.

"Ah!!!" Sonic cried out and tried to find a handhold, but in vain. He was too far from the rock face the cave was built into, and anything he could reach wouldn't have held. "Don't, don't, DON'T!!! I'll do it, I'll do it!!! Just put me down!!!"

Shadow stopped walking and put the other hedgehog back on the ground never letting him go.

Sonic turned around in the other's arms, breathing hard, and hanging onto Shadow. He shouldn't have been that upset, true, the pond was shallow enough to reach his waist if he stood up, unless he went to the center, where it passed his shoulders, about. Still, he hated the thought of being dumped into it. You couldn't pull the plug on a pond and let it drain, it was always full.

The black hedgehog chuckled, "I see that I found a little flaw in you that I can use at my advantage."

"You're so evil...." Sonic grumbled, but had already reached up to wrap his arms around Shadow's neck again. "I should refuse to do this. You abuse me."

"Yet I know that you like it."

"Sadist." Sonic growled, breaking his backward gaze at the water, looking toward Shadow's scarlet eyes instead. "But yeah..." He leaned up, a hair breath away from the dark hedgehog's mouth. "I guess I do."

Shadow smiled, "I knew it." He whispered, pleased with the idea of the oncoming kiss, "It is...too wonderful an experience to let pass."

Sonic laughed softly, and brushed his lips against Shadow's. "I know.." Then he pulled the dark hedgehog to him, connecting them into another kiss.

The black creature smiled and closed his eyes, starting to taunt the other hedgehog's lips like he had done before.

Such a sweet flavor they held; he wondered if there was something that could compare to that, albeit deep down he knew that nothing could come close to Sonic's kisses. To him, they were unique.

Sonic wasn't about to let Shadow take control again though; he pulled the hedgehog closer and held him there, the elated giddy feeling seeping back into his conscious. His arms crept around the other's neck tightened and he pressed himself close, as close as he could.

Shadow found himself gripping Sonic for support as his legs wobbled dangerously under him; it intrigued him to no end that a 'common' hedgehog could reduce the mighty ultimate life form to a weak creature like this.

He opened his mouth to take a deep breath, and continued his taunting maneuvers.

The 'common' hedgehog was having trouble standing too. The kiss was becoming a little more heated than he remembered the other being, though that might've been because they were lying down the last time. He was teetering gently, becoming dizzy, though Shadow leaning on him was giving him something to use as a crutch as well.

He tilted his head back, trying to keep Shadow from teasing him. He started the kiss, he should be the one who got to decide what happened in it!

The dark hedgehog chuckled lightly as he felt the other tilt his head backwards to prevent him from taunting him; he wouldn't desist, however, and he followed the movement and kept on the taunting.

"Dammit Shadow, quit that..." The blue hedgehog pulled away long enough to whisper, his voice a little muffle sounding, and his eyes glazed.

Shadow kissed him again for a second before parting a little, "Why?" He asked in a hushed tone, "You know that I like taunting you." He said resuming his taunt.

Sonic moaned into the lip-lock and moved his arms up from Shadow's neck to tangle into the black and red quills, trying to tug Shadow down and retake the role of dominance in the kiss.

The dark creature tilted his head backwards a little, "Ow." He muttered, losing the concentration on his taunts.

"Sorry..." Sonic mumbled, loosening his grip. He sounded asleep almost, and looked it to, swaying, and being supported by Shadow heavily. The hero blinked slowly, trying to clear his sight.

The black hedgehog, as soon as he felt the grip loosen, pressed back on the other hedgehog's lips; after a few seconds he even resumed his taunts, his arms tightening a little around the other's waist.

He couldn't get enough of this; it was like he was insatiable.

Sonic gasped as the other dove onto him again, beyond surprised. He tried to pull back, tried to breath, just as Shadow's arms tightened around him and what was left of his air disappeared.

Then, Sonic decided to fight fire with fire.

Pushing back against Shadow's open, tantalizing mouth, he entered it again, grinning wickedly in his mind. This had gotten Shadow under his control the last time, maybe it would work again.

The black hedgehog found himself teetering back a little upon feeling a warm and wet living object enter his mouth; mumbling out a protest about loosing the predominance, he tried to counter it with his own tongue.

Which of course, surprised Sonic so much that his attack retreated, and he tried to escape, making an attempt to close his mouth before he realized how strangely enjoyable the kiss had just become. He paused in his struggling to see if it was just the surprise, or Shadow's actual movements making him shudder.

Shadow continued his taunting as he felt the other's tongue go almost still; that made him invade Sonic's mouth with his own and the blue hedgehog remained immobile under his grasp.

However, the sweet, hot moment was interrupted by a high pitched scream of disgust and outrage.

The black hedgehog parted slowly from Sonic's mouth, reluctant to the idea of stopping there; as soon as their lips barely parted, he lightly turned his head and his eyes hardened like a ruby stone that shined in the night. The death glare that he was directing on Amy made them look creepy.

Damn, wasn't she supposed to NOT know where they were?

Sonic's ears folded immediately when he recognized the scream, and his head turned so that he could find the already identified source. He locked on a furious pink hedgehog instantly, and frowned, because if she was here, this meant serious trouble.

'I swear...does she have a tracer or something on me?!'

"What the hell do you think you're DOING to him?!" She sounded pissed, and the hammer was in her hands already. "You...you horrible, evil...MONSTER!!! How DARE you take his first kiss away from me!!!"

'How the hell does she know.....never mind....'

"You BASTARD!! You sick, twisted----!!!"

Shadow gripped the blue hedgehog a little tighter and smiled wickedly, his madness slowly returning to him, "Actually, pink brat, this is the third. And Sonic doesn't love you. He loves me." He said hinting his crazy smirk.

".....Wha...." Amy's Piko-Piko lowered for a moment, then she growled. "You tricked him! I won't believe it! Sonic would never betray me, not on purpose!! He's faithful to me, I know that!!" She looked toward the blue male. "Tell him Sonic!!"

Sonic's grip tightened around the black hedgehog. "Thing is Amy.....it's kind of true..."

"........You......you don't mean that....."

The black hedgehog smiled wickedly at her, "You heard him, brat. Now, get the hell out of here. We were sharing a kiss. And you, little brat, ruined it." Then, he gave a slow peck on the blue hedgehog's lips to confirm that.

As Sonic smiled back at Shadow, the crestfallen Amy stared, crystal tears forming, blurring her sight. Her head bowed, the wet drops splattering the rocky soil. "Sonic....you didn't...this can't be happening....." Suddenly she straightened, tears still running down her cheeks, as she braced herself.

"I'd rather die..." Amy's hate already burned deep, and for such a young girl, she sounded very peeved. "...than let you do this to us, Shadow." Then she gave a feral yell and ran at the two, her speed not reaching what they were capable of...

...but still pretty damn fast.

Shadow's crazy grin appeared to its fullest extent, then he shoot onwards, using his left Chaos Energy charged index finger to slightly cut Amy's left cheek. As soon as he was behind her he stopped and turned to stare at her, "Then I will grant you this wish."

No doubt, however, that he was playing with her before delivering the final, killing blow.

"Shadow!" Sonic gasped, falling backwards in surprise. Before he could get up however, blood had already been drawn.

Amy was shell-shocked when she felt the blood dribbling down her cheek. She halted her charge, stared at the red droplet hitting the stone beneath her, startled. Then she spun as quickly as she could, hammer colliding with her attacker's side.

The black hedgehog was taken by surprise, and he tumbled to the ground; so that was it? Then screw Mr. Nice Guy. He was supposed to be a weapon of mass destruction, and hell... he was going to be it.

He slowly stood up, his true self almost completely forgotten, and turned around; his eyes were almost a thin slit on his head as ruby red eyes craved for blood to be spilled and his mouth morphed into an extremely angry snarl.

Shadow threw his head backwards and released a scream of utter rage, charging his hands with Chaos Energy.

Amy stumbled backwards, frightened, realizing that what she had done hadn't exactly been the smartest move to make. She backed away the outrage creature, the color draining from her face. Then she turned tail, deciding that getting away alive was one of the better choices she could make right now.

The black hedgehog started pursuing her, with all the intention to kill her in the most gruesome way; letting loose a growled scream, he jumped towards her, drawing a hand backwards for a swing that would leave four nice deep marks on her back.

Amy screamed, and toppled down, letting Shadow overshot her. Her back was aflame with agony, and she pushed herself up, swinging her legs around under her so she could back peddle away.

Shadow landed and turned around, his eyes ablaze with pure madness; a mad grin spread across his face as he started slowly stalking the pink hedgehog.

Amy was dragging herself backwards, green eyes locked on the maniac hedgehog before her. She knew that coming here, saying anything at all when she saw them together, it was perhaps the worst idea. But then she thought back, her instinct reminding her: she was SURE Sonic loved her. He just had trouble admitting it! She was the only person he could love!

And he'd just met Shadow. She'd known him far longer than that! If it had to have been anyone else, she'd have expected Tails, more than this evil creature. He was the only one who'd known the hero longer.

Shadow charged his right hand with Chaos Energy, his intention to hit her directly in her heart, make her suffer and make her feel her own life slowly slip away while she looked in his eyes. His grin widened as he stopped in front of the pink hedgehog, which was now pressing herself to a tree.

Amy swallowed, her mouth and throat dry. She was fighting to stand now, using the tree as a crutch. She felt cornered, boxed in with the hedgehog who was surely going to be her death. Her eyes, wide and fearful, flickered back and fro between Shadow's narrowed eyes and the Energy forming in his hands. She was really going to die....

So imagine her surprise, and Shadow's, when Sonic's white glove appeared on the dark hedgehog's shoulder.

The black hedgehog turned his head and growled.

Who was the one that interrupted his work? An enemy perhaps?

Sonic stared him down, the frown on his face deep and considering. "Shadow?" He gripped the shoulder a little tighter, surprised at how angry the other had become, in so little time. "Shadow, please, calm down. I hate it when you're depressed, and I don't like it when you're like this much better...." He set his chin in the crook of the other's shoulder.

"I'll even let you throw me in the pond this time, alright?" The trademark grin.

The dark one growled in warning, his fur on his back and his quills raising; he didn't recognize the blue hedgehog as someone that he cared about very much, but just as another creature in the world.

Sonic ignored the growl, and wrapped his arms around the other's waist, bury his face further, ears folded. He was afraid, sure, but he wasn't one to let fear keep him from helping others, especially not Shadow, not now.

"Sonic...get away, he'll kill you!" Amy warned, looking like she was going to cry.

"He hasn't killed me yet......" Sonic whispered in reply.

In response to the blue hedgehog's move, Shadow growled more deeply, his chest vibrating from its power, yet, as much as the mind of the weapon of mass destruction was screaming to attack and kill him, he couldn't do that.

However, the madness made him increase the energy in his hand.

"Shh....." Sonic's arms tightened and he cringed slightly, imagining all the horrible deaths Shadow could deal him with the forming Chaos weapon. He put it out of his mind as much as he could instead.

"Sonikku...."

"Amy, would you shut up for a little while? You want to die?!"

The dark one returned his death glare on Amy; how he hated her. She had everything, while he had nothing.

He could feel them; the hate, the anger, the sorrow...

All swirling deep within himself, ready to explode any moment.

Amy squeaked when Shadow rounded on her, and pressed herself against the tree. But she didn't have to worry about the dark furry staring her down. Sonic took Shadow's chin and turned it back to him, then kissed him gently.

The black hedgehog was going to tear the creature who had dared this in half, but he was stopped by something; something that barely recognized the flavor of those lips. In his eyes a flicker of recognition passed and as he backed away from the blue one, he brought his right hand to his forehead while the energy in the other dissipated.

He knew him...

Sonic followed, as Amy stared on, horrified. He carefully stepped forward, and re-looped his arms around the other, hugging him. "I know you don't want to do this, Shadow. Just settle down, everything's all right...."

His mind started to hurt, badly too, and he gripped his head in both his hands; so much pain...

He closed his eyes shut and threw his head backwards, screaming out his pain. Then, he just went limp in the other's arms, his breathing barely hinted.

Sonic clutched the prone form, almost losing his balance when the other fell forward onto him. He managed to stay upright however, and cautiously knelt down, laying Shadow out so that he wouldn't fall from his arms and get hurt. Then he turned, hearing a sound behind him.

Amy was trying to crawl for her mallet. He stood and kicked it out of her reach. "That was probably the stupidest thing you ever did, Amy. You call the cops this time too?"

"He deserves to die, Sonic!!" Amy yelled back.

While Amy ranted to the blue hedgehog, Shadow's mind was battling itself, a fever slowly coming into being as the dark hedgehog fought. His breathings became haggard and he began sweating profusely. If he was awake, he would've felt hot and cold at the same time, but luckily he was not.

"You keep shouting like that, and you'll wake him up. Then we'll be right back where we started, and it gets harder and harder to stop him from killing you." Sonic crouched. "And I'm not just saying that because he goes deeper into the whole murderer thing. I'll be REALLY tempted to let him run you full of holes next time, cause with the way you're treating him, you're starting to rack up points to deserve it."

"You don't mean that, Sonic! He's controlling you, don't you see?!" She was starting to cry again.

"Stop that." Sonic growled, his eyes narrowing. "Just because someone else actually won me over doesn't mean that I'm being forced into it. If you don't want to believe that, well don't. But you come near Shadow again, with any intention other than apologizing--"

"Apologize?! He tried to kill me!!"

He ignored her. "---then I'm not going to stop him when he tears your legs off. I won't let him kill you, but I'll make sure that you don't walk away from it."

Suddenly, the forest became quiet. Too quiet to be a natural thing. There was something, or better, someone, that was stalking towards them; you could clearly hear the rustle of them going through the plant life as quietly as possible.

Their mission: to get back Project Shadow.

Knuckles was surely going to throw a fit on seeing so many trespassers on his beloved island.

Sonic's ears twitched upwards when the isle went soundless, and the sound of the undergrowth suffering the footfalls of numerous people in succession reached them. He paled, and stepped back from Amy, eyes flicking about to try and locate the source direction, for it sounded like they were spread out...all around him.

Amy smiled. "Don't worry Sonic, they'll take Shadow away...." She sighed and let her eyes close, exhausted from her own blood loss. "...then you'll love me again..." Then she was quiet.

Sonic's first impulse was 'fight or flight,' as it usually was with him. Of course, for Sonic, flight WAS fighting, so he decided he'd stick with that idea. Turning back to Shadow, he frowned. The other was down for the count, so if he carried him, he would have to be far more careful....his mind sparked with an idea.

Leaving Amy where she lay, he hefted up Shadow as well as possible, and dragged him into the cave nearby, pleased that the marble-like stone didn't leave any clues as to what he'd done, he made sure the leafy vines in front of the cave his the other hedgehog from view.

NOW, he could run.

Knuckles, already running like mad towards the forest, was pretty mad for the invasion; there was no way that he would stand back JUST because the number was that of an army.

To hell with it. This was HIS island.

With his ability to literally melt into Angel Island environment, he entered the forest. He would probably break many bones before they retreated.

Sonic on the other hand, was going it the opposite direction, on his way out. He'd already been sighted by the GUN forces, and in the dark, because of how fast he was moving, he was automatically identified as the key target, or Shadow. Luckily, only the foremost of the group had spotted him, which meant there was only seven or so after him, though they were already calling for armed back-up.

While he couldn't reach full speed here, if he got into the plains, these guys had no chance of catching, or beating, him. If he could only get past the tree-line, then maybe.....

Of course, the plan had to be slightly altered when a heavy net dropped onto him.

"Got him!!" The human above smiled and started calling for back up; the General had promised that whoever managed to retrieve the Project was going to get a major boost in his career.

Too bad that Knuckles ruined that by jumping from a branch and hitting the man at the base of his neck.

"What the hell is happening here?!?" He asked, tone angrily, as he easily ripped through the net, "I thought that nobody knew where we were!"

The hero hopped out of the net as soon as it was open, a scowl on his face. This was not his night tonight, well as it had started out. He only needed one word to answer Knux's question. Well more precisely, a name.

"Amy." He snarled. "Shadow's down for the count. No Chaos Controlling this time."

The Guardian nodded in understanding, "Where's Shadow?" He was more preoccupied about the dark hedgehog than the pink one. Figures...

"Hid him. Hopefully, well enough that GUN won't find him." Sonic growled. "And all because she caught us together, too; I swear, if I ever get my hands around her throat..."

Knuckles smiled, "Go get him, Sonic. I'll take care of the trespassers. I also found that I have an... unexpected helper."

To that, a familiar 'scream' resounded through all the forest. Chaos was another inhabitant of Angel Island that didn't like the current invasion by humans.

Sonic winced and took off back to the clearing. The water demon sounded like he was having a serious temper tantrum, and Chaos's anger was a thing to fear above all else. If Chaos was out and about, those humans were going to understand very soon why no one liked coming here without Knux's invite.

Especially without the invite.

--

Back into the cavern, Shadow was having a hard time breathing; he was feeling like he was burning, yet, at the same time, he was feeling like he was freezing. He needed fresh air, and something warm to cover himself with.

All this while his two consciences, the weapon of mass destruction and Shadow, where battling each other for predominance, making him dead to the world outside his mind.

--

Sonic paused, the sound of female laughter, accompanied by faint gunshots and skidded to a stop, looking around. A flash of light flew past, followed by two loud 'crunches' on the other side of a large tree.

"Oh Sonic, didn't see you there!" The light came back, hovering in the air for a moment before materializing into the form of a female Echidna.

"Oh...it's you, Tikal." Sonic sighed in relief. The princess smiled.

"Of course it's me." She laughed. "Why are you in such a hurry?" Sonic snapped back to his task.

"Shadow. I have to go and----wait, Amy's bad off too...." Sonic frowned. He'd like to leave her be, but the thought of the girl dying of blood loss made his stomach turn. "Tikal, you can still heal and all that, right?"

"Ye---Ah!!!" Sonic had hold of her wrist and was back to running in a second.

"Good."

Another of Chaos' screams resounded in the night wood, followed soon by rapid gunfire; the water creature was doing his job pretty well in driving the humans away. From time to time, you could hear humans screams and the rapid beating of their feet on the ground as they ran like hell to get off the island as soon as possible.

"Sounds like dear Chaos is busy," Tikal murmured, when they finally stopped at the clearing. Sonic gestured to the prone pink form, half disgusted that none of the soldiers had paused to help her.

"Do you think you can help Amy out? Don't wake her up though, if you don't mind..."

"Don't worry Sonic, Chaos and I already know about it. We live in the Master Emerald after all...although, next time, none of that right on the altar, please?" She raised an eyebrow at him and he grinned sheepishly.

"I'll....just get Shadow..."

Tikal walked to the pink hedgehog, then she turned her head, "By the way, Sonic, you're a really cute couple!" She said, before quickly returning to Amy's wounds and starting to heal the four nasty cuts on her back. Even with her healing powers, the scars would remain.

"Yeah, yeah, just wish Amy had accepted it a little...better..." He replied, shoving the vines aside and moving into the cave. Shadow's form was barely silhouetted in the natural dimness, so he almost tripped over the other furry before seeing him.

Kneeling down after he regained his dignity, Sonic moved to rouse the dark hedgehog, but balked, withdrawing his hand. Shadow was burning hot to the touch, obviously with fever.

"Crap."

Outside the cave, Tikal was still busying herself with the wounds; she had quite a problem healing them as they weren't just normal wounds, but wounds induced with a strong charge of Chaos Energy. This prevented her from healing them as quickly as she was used to do.

Also, a little deeper and the pink girl would find herself paralyzed without having the possibility of Tikal healing her. Flesh wounds were a thing, but wounds on the spinal cord was totally another thing; especially if they were delivered with Chaos Energy.

Amy shifted barely during the healing, but other than that, there wasn't much movement to prove she still lived. Then she cringed, sharp pains shooting along her back as the wounds closed.

Sonic meanwhile was lifting Shadow onto his back, finding that it was far easier to carry him this way. The heat radiated of the black fur wasn't the most enjoyable thing, but Sonic felt he'd survive if Shadow did.

Knuckles appeared in the clearing, looking at Tikal and Amy, then at Sonic carrying the black hedgehog out of the cavern, "Sonic, what should we do with her?" He asked motioning the pink creature lying on the ground with his head.

Sonic shook his head, trying to think. "Okay, last time we left her, right? And she brought these guys after us....maybe we should keep her with us. Gag her, tie her up...I don't know...something..." He shrugged, moving Shadow a little to do so, while Amy let out a small moan.

The echidna nodded and scooped Amy over his shoulder as soon as Tikal was done with the healing, "My hut is no longer a safe place to go, but I still have a few spots where we can hide. At the moment Chaos is driving away the last of the trespassers, so we'll surely have the night to our disposal till they come back with a plan counting Chaos' presence in."

"Hmmm...." Sonic thought about it. "Well, I guess we don't have much choice but to leave again, huh? Though I have no idea how we're all getting anywhere fast; Shadow's out cold here, and with a fever. And Tails said he wasn't going to be here 'til morning, yesterday....plus, you said yourself that we won't be out from over this sea for two more days, and I doubt you can glide that long with all three of us..."

The Guardian grinned, "Who said we're leaving the Island? GUN will probably think that we will leave after their little incursion, this will give us extra time to reorganize ourselves."

"Come, there's an abandoned base that Eggman left on the west side of the island, It'll take us all night to reach it. We can't run much, or what is left of the trespassers will acknowledge our presence being still here..."

Sonic nodded slowly, and looked toward Amy, limp in the Guardian's grasp. "You sure you want to carry her? You could take Shadow..." He was reluctant to offer, Shadow was sick after all. But he didn't want Amy waking up and beating the hell out of Knuckles. Of course, if she started to wake up, Knuckles probably could easily hold her still and get her to sleep again...

The echidna slowly shook his head, "No, when he wakes up, IF he wakes up, you'll be the only person who can talk to him without having him attack straight away." He said walking away.

Tikal resumed to being her orb self, and floated right behind the Guardian.

Sonic looking over his shoulder at Shadow's sleeping face, sighed. It felt like his temperature was getting higher already. Whatever was plaguing the other hedgehog was probably serious. He was so focused on his charge that he didn't notice the water demon materialize in front of him until he started to move forward.

Chaos narrowed his great, luminous eyes at the hedgehog, then turned and splashed after Tikal and the Guardian, mumbled something in his watery tongue.

It took all Knuckles ability to move in his island and all night to reach the abandoned base; by that time, Shadow was like dead. His breathing was barely hinted and his temperature reached highs that if he was a normal being he would have died hours ago.

Amy was starting to wake up now.

And all through the night, Sonic had become increasingly worried over the other hedgehog. Tikal had severe trouble trying to help him, mostly because she was not used to the way he lived, being made from Chaos Energy. She could no more help him than heal Chaos.

And the water demon wasn't much help either, despite the fact that every once in a while, if Sonic asked nicely enough, the creature would place a liquid-like hand on Shadow's brow, holding it there long enough to lower the hedgehog's temperature by a small margin.

So Sonic simply walked and worried...

Knuckles stopped in his track, "We're here." He said gazing at the monstrosity that the doctor had left after his 'vacation' on the island.

It was well hidden in the mountain side and if you didn't looked well, you wouldn't notice it.

"The hidden entrance is this way." He said walking down the small hill and towards a rock formation, "I hope that it still works, I'm not in the mood to force it..." He muttered to himself, shifting Amy in his shoulder a little.

Amy stirred and her eyes fluttered open for a second, then closed. For a minute, there was no more movement from her, then she shot awake, and yelped out in surprise. Sonic almost dropped Shadow when he heard that.

Knuckles was not that mindful, and he ended up dropping Amy to the ground; damn her and her screaming. Now he was half deaf in his right ear...

Chaos dropped on a battle ready stance, preparing for whatever was coming, until his spirit friend assured him that everything was fine.

The black hedgehog was the only one that didn't react to the scream.

Amy landed hard, but didn't cry out again, opting instead to look around at the others, horrified, mouth working without sound.

"You better follow us, Amy. Chaos is not happy with you having transformed the island in a warzone. You leave, and he'll hunt you down until you're dead." Knuckles explained without showing emotions and resuming walking.

The water creature stood in front of the pink hedgehog and narrowed his eyes. Yup, he was pretty angry, and he seemed to want to tear her limb from limb.

Amy gulped hard, then nodded slowly, pushing herself to her feet, knowing already that Sonic couldn't help her since he carried Shadow, and Knuckles wouldn't; he was too angry. She held in her tears, actually showing a little maturity, even if it was sprouted from bitterness, and the walking continued, somewhat to Sonic's relief.

The echidna finally reached the rock wall and fumbled around in search of something; when he found it, his face became a little more relieved. Hoping that it would still work, he pulled the lever, and again, to his relief, a hidden door opened, letting the early morning light enter the place after the years of abandonment.

Amy cringed, exceedingly unhappy with her position, and lingered outside as long as she could, i.e. until Sonic and Tikal had both followed the Guardian inside. Chaos however, stayed, standing right behind her, not about to let her out of his sight. Reluctantly, she too passed through the entrance.

The corridors were pitch black; luckily, the orb form of Tikal gave them a little source of light to see where they were going. Sonic shuddered in the dark, scarcely able to make out much more than Shadow's scarlet streaks in the pitch blackness when he looked over his shoulder. He could still feel the other breathing though, however shallowly.

"How much farther should we go Knux? I mean, the traps and stuff are probably still active..."

Knuckles nodded, "Yes, but a little farther inside, there's the living quarters. It's not that big, three or four rooms if I'm not mistaken."

"That's convenient...you were going to let Robotnik live here?" Sonic raised an eyebrow and Amy blinked, looking interested.

"No. I never knew of this base till he showed me. And it was already completed." He stopped in front of a door, "Behind this door there's the living quarters. Sonic, you'll be interested in hearing that the water coming out of the faucets comes directly from a spring in the Ice Caps, so it's pretty cold and pure to drink."

Sonic looked relieved, but rolled his eyes anyway, since it was expected of him. "Knuckles, if I wasn't already involved with someone, I think I'd kiss you." Tikal giggled loudly and Chaos gave a loud groan of annoyance. Amy seemed to be the only awake one who looked incredibly displeased.

The echidna raised an eyebrow in confusion, but sighed quickly afterwards, "Listen, if it wasn't for Shadow being half dead on your shoulder, I'd pin you right here to explain a few things, so for the moment," He opened the metal door to reveal a short dead end corridor with two doors to the left and two on the right, "...I'll let you go."

"By the way, the first one on the right side has the comfier bed."

As Sonic, grinning somewhat wildly, stepped beyond the door, Tikal clapped her hands over her mouth and started shaking in silent laughter, feeling insanely sorry, but the way the last comment had sounded, seeming to imply....well she just couldn't help herself. Even Chaos looked slightly amused.

Amy did not. She looked peeved beyond all reason, and was clenching a fist, looking off to the side. Sonic was supposed to become involved with HER, not a random ball of black fuzz he'd found on the street. She loosened herself quickly, and tried to think on something else, hard as that was.

The Guardian looked Tikal, then Chaos, then Tikal once again, "Can you explain to me what's up with you two?"

Tikal had to recover before she could answer, which seemed like it wouldn't be for a while. If she had lungs she probably would've been breathless by now. And since Chaos couldn't really speak a language Knuckles understood without Tikal translating, it seemed up to Amy to reply.

"You mean you don't know?! They were practically all over each other, and you didn't SEE?!"

It took Knuckles a few seconds before processing the information, then he crossed his arms over his chest, "And how do you know about it?"

"I saw them," Amy almost spat, but remembered who she was speaking to. "They probably would've jumped each other's bones right there if I hadn't stopped them." She looked away, disgust on her face. She'd never had a problem with couples like this in general, but thinking that Sonic would choose that sadistic...horrible...creature, over her, got her blood boiling.

Knuckles' eyes narrowed at her, "I didn't ask you." Then he turned to face Tikal, his eyes back to normal, "So, how do you know that?"

Tikal giggled again. "Well....Chaos and I were somewhat bored while you were gone to Sonic's before...so we went back to the temple, thinking about napping for a day or two...." She was starting as far back as possible, trying to stall so Sonic could get Shadow off his back. She wanted to at least make sure he didn't have a handicap to get him caught.

The echidna raised a brow, "Aaand...?"

"Well...we woke up and heard...Sonic and Shadow talking." Tikal stifled another fit. "...about how people fall in love, and find out if two people are a couple and all...you should've seen that sunset, you know. Missed a wonderful view..." She smiled sweetly.

"Tikal...."

"Okay, but I'm trying to save you some popped blood vessels here." She swayed on the balls of her sandaled feet. "But they were talking, and the stars came out, and for a little while things got really odd and tense...and then we had front row seats to the show!" She giggled, holding her cheeks.

The Guardian stifled a growl of frustration, "Front row seats for what show?" He asked keeping his calm.

Tikal was giggling wildly now, her shoulders shaking. Amy growled, and decided to translate, since Knuckles obviously didn't get it.

"She means they were making out."

It took the echidna another several seconds to process the information, but then, his eyes widened in shock; he didn't cared who Sonic made out with, but when you make out right in front of the Master Emerald, well.... that was another story.

"HEDGEHOG!!!!!!" He screamed to the air.


	8. Chapter 8 — In The Base

----------------------------

Chapter 8 -In The Base

----------------------------

"'By the way, the one on the right side has the comfier bed.' We just got together. What does he want? A porn show? I mean, c'mon, Knux, show some restraint."

Sonic had been carefully laying Shadow out on said 'comfier' bed when the dust was shaken down from ceiling in a massive, and rather grayish, snowfall.

"HEDGEHOG!!!!!!"

Sonic's ears went down. That yell was the one Knux made when he was extremely pissed. It meant serious trouble. More precisely, it meant serious trouble for HIM. And given the current situation, and the few things that Knuckles could actually be this mad with him about, he was willing to bet that Knuckles had found out the location of Shadow and his first kiss.

Which meant that he was probably going to die tonight.

"Crap."

The Guardian opened the door as calmly as he could; he hadn't forgotten about Shadow's current status, but as soon as he got the blue hedgehog out of the room, and maybe out of the living quarters...

"Sonic, will... you follow me?" He asked forcing a smile.

'Do I LOOK like I want to die, Knuckles? You must REALLY think I'm stupid. Of course...the temple thing was kinda stupid, wasn't it....' Sonic swallowed visibly. "Um.... no, that's okay...I'll just...stay right here...." 'I'm going to DIE....'

"Don't take advantage of Shadow's current situation, Sonic. It's not like you." He said burning a hole into the blue hedgehog's head.

"But I'd... REALLY rather stay here.....don't worry, you can say anything you need to say while I'm sitting here." Sonic made a show of tucking Shadow in, to avoid Knuckles' scorching gaze. 'I'm SO screwed...'

The red male advanced, the light coming from outside shrouding his body in shadows, "Soooniiiic...."

Right now, knuckles seemed one of those evil cartoon characters when they made their first scary apparition. He just lacked the lightning behind him...

Sonic flinched. "Okay, okay, I'm coming..." His shoulders slumped slightly. 'Maybe if I can clear the door first, I can make a run for it. If I can just get some speed, he won't follow.... well, he will, but he won't CATCH me...and he can't rip me open if he can't get his hands on me....'

As soon as Sonic passed next to him, the echidna grabbed his right arm, "I know what you're thinking, Sonic."

Sonic whimpered slightly, not liking Knuckles tone. Usually, the Echidna only sounded like a scolding parent, but this was on of the deathly quiet voices, the ones that just scream how insanely pissed someone is. "Can you blame me for trying?" He sighed, tugging somewhat at the grip to see if, with some speed, he could break out of it.

Knuckles held tightly, "No. And now, if you follow me without me actually dragging you, I'll give you your punishment."

"I'd prefer it if you dragged me actually." The hero grumbled, looking beaten. "Then I can say I fought to the death...." The little death chant was ringing in his ears now.

"Then, how the hell will you help Shadow?"

Sonic's ears perked. "Soooo......... you're NOT going to kill me?" 'Please say you won't, I'll even eat your cooking.... of course, then I'd die anyway....'

"No. But I'm not that sure you'll be grateful for me sparing you... It has something to do with water. A LOT of water."

Sonic paled, and immediately dug his feet in. "Are you INSANE?!?! You KNOW I hate....... I guess that's the point, isn't it....?" He head went down.

Knuckles motioned the black form with his head, "Look at him, Sonic. Even if he was created to endure things that we can't, he's slowly dying. Not even he can endure that temperature that much. Do you really want him to die just because you hate water?"

Sonic's gaze flickered to the other hedgehog, then back to his feet. "No...but would we still have to go through this if I said I was REALLY sorry...?"

"I know that you're sorry, I guess that's hard to hold back, but I need Chaos here to keep an eye out for trespasser, Tikal will keep her eyes on Shadow and try to keep him alive as long as she can, and I guess that Amy wont do it even if we threatened her. This leaves only us."

"Do........what, exactly?" Sonic asked, eyes flicking. It sounded more like a chore than getting punted into the sea below or something, which was pretty much what he'd first suspected.

"We need to go to the Azure Lake on the other side of the island to get some algas that will lower Shadow's temperature."

"But...that water's really deep...and you know I can't swim.... I sink. Like a rock. Worse than a rock, cause the rock doesn't have to breathe." He really didn't look happy. "I mean, I'm all for helping Shadow, but you seem to have forgotten that setback."

The Guardian grinned, "I need you right because you sink like a rock. I'll tie you with a rope, and once you get the algas, I'll be dragging you back to the surface."

"And what about air? Hmmm?" Sonic still didn't look reassured. "You can breathe down there. I can't. And if I drown, I plan to haunt you."

Knuckles rolled his eyes, "That is why, before we go, we'll look for air cylinders. I saw them in a storeroom of this base."

"You and I both know that Eggman's stuff has a tendency to malfunction." Sonic growled, looking incredibly upset by that. "But fine. It's just a little water...." He shuddered.

The Guardian nodded, "Good. Now, will you follow me willingly or do I have to still drag you?"

"I'll follow. I don't like it at all, but I'll follow." His voice was sour, and he forced his legs back into action, as much as instinct was reminding him how horrible it was to drown.

"I...REALLY.... don't like this...."

Knuckles released Sonic, "We'll go in ten minutes, I have a few things to discuss with Tikal and Chaos." He said leaving the room and closing the door.

On the bed, Shadow was slowly, but surely loosing his fight with death.

'Oh yeah, we can't go NOW, while I haven't had time to dwell on how many things are going to go wrong.' Sonic's already felt like lead. Knuckles was doing this to him on purpose, and the second Shadow was cured, he was going to start people's quills and spines out. Then kick them both into the water with lead tied onto them and little half-busted air cylinders and see how they liked it.

He turned back to the bed and sat beside Shadow, taking the other's hand in his. Maybe he'd just kick Knuckles into the water. It wasn't Shadow's fault he'd gotten sick like this. Wasn't Knuckles fault either, but Knuckles could probably gather what they needed by himself if they had more time and Sonic didn't deserve to get his ears ripped off....

Oh well...

Shadow's hand barely twitched, like his left ear, but other than that and the fact that he was still breathing, even if barely, he was like dead.

"If you don't get better you know, that means no more us..." Sonic mumbled, sighing at the silence. "But don't worry about it. Knux and I are getting stuff to help, alright? And as soon as we've got it back here, you'll be good as new." He played with the hand he held, frowning.

"I'm starting to suspect that you get yourself into trouble just so I have to save you. Amy does that...but I find I don't mind as much when you do. Sure, it freaks me out that at any second I'll lose you.....but saving you is something nice too." He smiled to himself. "You owe me again for this...I'm going to hold you by it this time..."

The door opened, but instead of Knuckles, Tikal walked into the room and placed a few cloths on the nightstand, "Don't worry about going to Azure Lake, Sonic. You stay here and watch over him. I'll be rounding the island to see if we have more trespassers. I'll leave here Chaos to watch over the place AND Amy." She said smiling and leaving the room.

"By the way, Sonic. He doesn't want to tell you, but he forgives you to some extent. If Chaos didn't went mad, why should he?" Then she disappeared behind the closing door.

Sonic blinked after her. Then that sunk in. Not going to Azure Lake meant no water. So were they not going at all? Or was Knuckles indeed just going alone? He got up from the bed, hesitantly, and crossed to the door, looking out.

The only one present in the corridor was Chaos, who was standing in front of a door, probably Amy's; the water beast looked at him and slightly nodded in acknowledgment before resuming his guard duty.

Sonic nodded back and receded into his and Shadow's room again, blinking. So Knuckles HAD left? And by himself...? Sonic smiled solemnly, and went back to Shadow's bedside with a sigh, retaking the hand in his own.

Shadow's mind was a war zone between the 'Shadow' personality and the 'Weapon of mass destruction' one; the more the two fought for predominance, the more the temperature of the body increased. Yet, neither of the two cared.

Shadow preferred to die rather than become what GUN desired the most, like the other, only that the weapon of mass destruction desired more to kill and destroy rather than die.

But it really didn't matter, if he couldn't get that, then death was better than not being what he was supposed to be.

Sonic winced as the burning heat from Shadow seeped through to his hand, but refused to let go. Instead he used his free hand to reach the cloths on the nightstand Tikal had left for him. They were cool to the touch, though dry, and the hero took one, putting it over his hand, and gently placed it on Shadow's forehead, the heat readily warming the cool fabric.

Still, it was something to do, and just sitting there was driving Sonic bonkers.

The black hedgehog's body twitched a little before settling, somewhat relieved by the coolness of the cloth on his forehead; taking a little bigger breath than the ones he was currently taking, he tried to change position and roll on his side.

Sonic assisted him as best he could, smiling, for Shadow had reacted more in that second than he had the whole rest of the time.

Shadow slightly curled up, trying to find a position where is body didn't hurt, but it was a loosing battle as he returned being on his back, breathing heavily for a few seconds before resuming his dead like status.

Sonic sighed, that had been too good to last...perhaps if he water down the cloth a little, he could cool Shadow's temperature? He could always ask Chaos for that, though it would be better if this room had a---

---a sink. The white porcelain gleamed, and he saw it from the corner of his eyes. For the first time in his life, Sonic silently praised Robotnik, then rushed to use it.

How he came to be in this situation, he couldn't remember at all; it was like being split in two and still being one at the same time. A part of himself wanted destruction and death, the other just wanted to live a normal life... thing that 'both' refused.

Shadow let a small pain filled moan leave his throat; why, of all being, him?

Just because he was created instead of born? Was that a crime? Even if it was, was he truly the one to blame? After all... he never asked to be created...

Sonic hurried back, after the moan, and gently mopped Shadow's face with the cold water, hoping to cool him down just a little if he could if at all possible.

The black hedgehog felt the so much needed cold against his face and relaxed a little; then, as the extreme temperature lowered a little, his mind seemed to clear a little. That was when the pain returned.

He rolled on his side and curled up, bringing his hands on his head and pressing hard, trying to kill the pain.

Sonic caught him up as the other curled, and held him close, shushing him gently, and still wiping his forehead, pleased to feel the heat dying as he did so. That was a good sign at least.

Not for him, though.

He could feel the splitting pain trying to eat his brain; he couldn't fight it, so he decided to get away from it. Even if clawing at his head and squish the organ inside it.

Without hesitating, he started clawing at his head and slightly convulsed around mumbling something along the line of "Get away from me." and "Leave me alone.".

Sonic cradled the other, keeping him close, and trying to gently pull the clawing hands and settle him down. He whispered reassurance into Shadow's ear, leaned his cheek on the burning forehead and sighed.

It took almost another hour for Knuckles to get back to the base with what he needed, but as soon as he was back, he entered one of the remaining rooms.

He came back out 15 minutes later with a bowl of extract of the algas he had gathered.

"Sonic?" He asked opening the door a little.

Sonic was back to moping Shadow's forehead, for the dark creature had stilled during the last hour. He looked up in surprise at Knux's voice, and smiled. "Hey Red..." Then his attention was back on the ill hedgehog in his care. "How'd it go?"

The echidna entered in the room and handed the bowl to Sonic, "Better than I though." He said, "Make him drink this. If it is like I suspect, this will help him a lot."

Sonic blinked down at the bowl and sniffed it, cringing. "Man, you trying to poison him?! It stinks like crazy..." Still, Knuckles knew his herbs, and if he said something would help Shadow, chances were it would. "Think you can hold him for me? If this gunk tastes as bad as it smells, he won't swallow."

Knuckles nodded and sat over Shadow, pinning down his torso and arms, while his left hand pinned the dark hedgehog's head and the right one opened his mouth.

Sonic moved around him, and gently poured some of the mixture down the hedgehog's throat; only a mouthful, because if he didn't wait for him to swallow the first bit, he'd choke on the second.

Shadow's face became a mask of disgust, but he was forced to swallow it nonetheless by the Guardian that was pinning him.

"I knew tasted gross." Sonic mumbled, satisfied. He proceeded to slowly feed the rest to Shadow, somewhat amused by some of the faces the other made, but not daring to laugh until Shadow was safely out of any danger of death. To keep himself from worrying more, he spoke to Knuckles instead.

"Did you see any more of them? ...The soldiers?"

The echidna shook his head, "No, but we're still not out of danger zone. Sooner or later they'll be back."

Shadow started to feel... tired. His two sides had stopped a little while ago when the first mouthful of extract had reached his stomach, and this pleased him. As more mouthfuls of liquid reached their destination, the dark one felt total darkness slowly enveloping his mind, and he welcomed it.

His body took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh of relief as it went totally slack.

"At least they're gone for no--Uh oh...." Sonic blinked down at Shadow. "I think we killed him....."

Knuckles shook his head and placed his gloved hand on the dark one's throat, feeling the pulse, "No, we just stopped his brain from overworking. Now the temperature will lower in an hour or so, and he might also wake up for a little bit."

Sonic exhaled, unaware he'd been holding his breath. "So...he'll be okay, right?" The hero sighed. "And you're not still mad at us, right?"

The echidna stood up from Shadow and walked away, waving a hand to the air, "How can I blame you for loving each other?" He asked more to the air than the blue one.

"I warn you, however. Next time I see you making out at the altar I'm going to throw you in the Azure Lake." He said opening the door.

"Ah, one last note. When he wakes up, he might not recognize you at first and he'll be pretty confused." He said leaving the room and closing the door quietly.

Sonic shuddered, the thought of the lake was slightly unnerving, and he had no desire to sink into it. None at all. 'He didn't even see us...' He grumbled inwardly, stilling the urge to stick his tongue out at the Guardian until the door closed.

It took Shadow at least five hours to come back to consciousness, but when he opened his eyes he looked around confused; this was not ARK.

"Maria?" He asked to the air.

He was met with only a soft sigh, sleep murmured, for Sonic had dozed off, sitting up no less, while waiting for the other to awake. He mumbled something under his breath, and the hand holding Shadow's squeezed gently for a moment and went lax.

The black hedgehog sat up and looked around, seeing only a blue hedgehog at his side and feeling pretty light headed.

"Maria?!?" He called again, a little panicked that he was transferred somewhere else and with someone else, "Maria!"

Sonic's eyes snapped open and he fell over with a gasp. "What the...?! Oh.....Shadow, it's just you..." He pushed himself back up, blinking. "Don't do that, you'll give me a heart attack or something! I've already just barely escaped being drowned, and having you get yourself sick. That's plenty for one day... er...night...crap..."

The dark one looked at him suspiciously, "Who are you? Where are we? Where's Maria?"

"Who...." Sonic looked hurt. "What are you talking abo---oh. That's right, Knuckles said you'd be at first. Didn't expect you not to know me though, that's a little unnerving. If we have to go through the talk again..." He shuddered.

"What talk? Who are you?"

The hero sighed. "Sonic. I'm Sonic. And the talk isn't important right now, so don't ask about it." He stood up shakily. "I'll go get Knuckles, maybe he can tell me why you don't remember. He said confused, not amnesiac..."

"Sonic..." He repeated, "Sonic, Sonic, Sonic... I know this name... Tell me, Sonic. Do we have met before you got up here on ARK?"

"Um...we're not on ARK, Shadow." Sonic looked surprised.

Shadow looked at the blue one with great confusion; he knew that he was missing something, but he couldn't grasp what.

"See...something bad happened on ARK, and you ended up down here...you kind of went to sleep. You've been here...fifty years you said before." Sonic was walking back to the bed. "You told me all this before. You don't remember any of it?"

"You're... lying..." He answered.

Yet, deep down something was telling him that the other hedgehog was telling the truth

"Wha....why would I lie to you?" Sonic sat down, "I didn't make this up Shadow. You're not on ARK. You're on Earth. You know, the place you said you wanted to go before, when you were actually on ARK?"

"Me and Maria wanted to see all the wonderful things on the planet..."

"Well, you're here. Though you didn't have much nice to say about it before.... 'cept the sunset...and stars." Sonic smiled. "But not really. Of course, if I was stuck asleep fifty years, then the government was after me, I wouldn't like Earth much either.."

"Sonic...?"

"Yes Shadow?" The sapphire hedgehog blinked, wondering on whether he would like the next question.

"I want to go home..." He said referring to ARK, "Maybe Maria is still there."

Nope. Definitely didn't like it. Sonic frowned. "Well...that's the thing, Shadow. Maria's.... not there anymore. You aren't on ARK, and neither is she...not really..."

"Then where's she?" He asked looking at him with hopeful eyes.

Sonic took a deep breath. "You remember...before? When I said something awful happened up there?" Suddenly Sonic hated himself. He should be lying. Should tell Shadow, 'Oh she's in the other room, she'll be back in a minute. In fact, I'll go get her!' It would make Shadow happier....

But it wouldn't be true....

The black hedgehog nodded, confusion still lingering in his eyes. Why was Sonic so reluctant on telling him where Maria could possibly be? He knew that, if he was telling the truth and he passed 50 year asleep, Maria would be old, but she would still be alive. Humans could reach that age without many problems.

"Well see...that was part of the...horrible thing...." Sonic wrung his hands; Shadow was going to hate him after this. "People came to the ARK, to take you away. And Maria...she sent you here. She protected you, and well...." He went quiet.

Something was sounding familiar in that tale, yet, he couldn't grasp it.

"And?"

"Maria died, Shadow. She died, sending you here so that they wouldn't hurt you...." Sonic's breath caught, and he looked away. That couldn't have gone so much better....

The black hedgehog felt his heart being stabbed by a dagger, "No... you lie.... That can't be true..." He said standing up and wobbling dangerously.

He started to collect Chaos Energy in his right hand for a Chaos Control; he would go back to ARK and find Maria.

"It's a lie...." He said as his eyes released tears of sadness.

"Shadow, please listen to me...." Sonic stood, concerned. "I know it hurts to hear it, but.... I'm not lying...I'm telling you exactly what you told me before; I'd never lie to you. Please.... just calm down."

The dark creature shook his head, the tears flying to the side with each swing, "No..." He muttered, "No!"

He brought his hands on his head, covering his ears and curling up on the floor, loosing the concentration to the Chaos Control he was forming.

"No!"

And Sonic went down with him, shushing and calming. "I know it hurts...I'm so sorry, Shadow, I hate having to tell you. But if what you told me is anything to go off of...she's gone...." He hated seeing Shadow like this, he shouldn't have told him. "Please don't cry..."

"If I told you this, then why I can't remember anything of that?" He asked through the sobs.

"You...got sick, Shadow. We had to help you, so Knuckles got some algae so you'd get better.... he did say you'd be a little confused when you got up, but I didn't think.... I mean..." Sonic sighed, unsure of how to tell Shadow anything.

The black hedgehog sat up and curled on the wall, "What happened, Sonic? What happened to me?"

Sonic frowned deeper. "I'm not sure if I'm the best one to tell you. After all, Knuckles knows how this stuff works and all. I'm no good with medicine."

Shadow's mind was in turmoil; he felt so confused.

He gripped his head harder; there was something in the back of his mind that was trying to get free, but every time he tried to unlock the door to it, a searing pain wafted in it.

"Shadow? You okay?" Sonic placed a hand on the other's head, blinking in question. "You don't look so hot..."

The black hedgehog looked up at him, "I think... that I don't want to remember..."

Sonic looked hurt, but it didn't show much in any feature, save his eyes. "I see....." He nodded, and stood slowly. "I'll get Knuckles. We might as well figure out if anything else went wrong, besides the whole memory thing...."

Shadow only nodded, remaining curled up on the floor with his back on the wall and his arms around his legs.

Sonic left hesitantly, but left all the same, closing the door quietly behind him. He didn't want to leave Shadow alone right now, but he couldn't bear staying with him just yet. He'd been too sure everything would be fine now that Shadow was awake.... he never thought...

"This is not going well..." He groaned, rubbing his temples to clear his mind.

"What is not going well?"

It was the echidna, which had just returned from a little stroll in the base.

"Shadow's awake." That was all Sonic felt like offering just now. His head hurt like hell and he was already feeling like lashing out at the Guardian, because he was there and could put up a fight. He didn't really feel like fighting now though, so if Knuckles would go away, maybe he could just find a deep puddle and drown himself or something.

Maybe if he pissed off Chaos enough....

"You don't tell me it right, Sonic. What is not going well?"

"He's awake. I told you. That's the problem." Sonic growled his voice shouted all kinds of warnings. "Or half of it anyway. And I don't feel like talking about the other half, but if you want to hear about, go on in." He side-stepped. "Just make sure to introduce yourself and speak slowly. He hasn't got his bearings yet."

The Guardian raised an eyebrow, but entered in the room anyway; what he saw, was just a black ball of fur streaked with blood red huddle itself on the wall.

Now, what the hell was going on?

"Shadow?" Knuckles lowered his voice. He wasn't used to speaking softly, mostly because he was either yelling at Sonic, or simply talking. Being soothing was not on his list of talents.

The dark hedgehog looked up through his folded arms, "Who's there?"

"Knuckles." Maybe the quiet voice threw him off. "How are you feeling? The fever's down? You had Sonic very worried." He knelt beside the other furry and pressed his hand against the streaked forehead. No sign of a fever. Perhaps he was still dizzy.

"Your name... sounds familiar.... it tells me that I can trust you, like I can with Sonic... where do we have met? I can't remember."

Shock. "What?" Knuckles stared for a minute. Then realized. "Damn."

The black hedgehog glanced up at him, "How much I lost...?" He asked referring to his supposed lost memory.

Knuckles' brow furrowed. "How far back do you remember?"

Shadow's brow furrowed, "Sonic told me about an incident I was involved in, but I can't remember it. Nothing from there on. If I try to remember... there's only searing pain..."

"Which incident? You have been in many since and before we met."

"ARK..."

That was the only word that he could mutter.

Knuckles was silent for a while. "So then...you don't remember the fire, or how you and Sonic came to meet? Nothing afterwards?"

The black hedgehog shook his head, "I would like to remember, but part of me refuses, telling me that I will suffer and that I'll be back to be evil and unstable..."

Knuckles frowned. "I suppose that's true. Though it seems to be upsetting Sonic." And Knuckles could guess why. Not remembering anything meant that Shadow didn't remember exactly what Sonic wanted him to most. That was probably very frustrating. "Though I don't think he will force you to remember if you do not wish it."

"What.... what happened to me? Why can't I remember?"

"It was probably the medicine we had to give you." Knuckles was checking Shadow's pulse now, mind focused back onto his work. "The chances of your mind actually being affected were so slim I didn't really pay attention..."

"Medicine for what?" he asked trying to cooperate as best as he could with the echidna that was examining him.

"You were ill. Barely surviving. If Sonic and I had not done what we had, you would've wasted away. And Sonic would've gone right after you." He put a hand on either side of the hedgehog's chest. "Breath in than out."

The dark one complied, "Why would he had killed himself if I died?" He asked after he was done.

"Killed himself? Hardly." Knuckles put a hand on his patient's back and instructed him to repeat the motion. "Sonic's far too stubborn for that. He'd probably just detach himself again, like the last time. Of course, that was very different."

Shadow took a deep breath and released it slowly, "Detach himself? What other time?"

"Sonic didn't tell you before you lost your memory. I already know that. He doesn't talk about it to anyone, though for you he did make many exceptions. However," The Echidna stood, and offered a hand to help the other up. "It is not my business to tell you. Ask Sonic, though I doubt he'll say much yet."

The black hedgehog took the offered hand and helped himself to his feet, "So it is true..." He muttered to himself.

"What is true?" Knuckles asked, letting go once the other was standing.

"He told me about the incident, and I just called him a liar...." He said looking away.

The Guardian looked a little angry. "I have yet known Sonic to lie about such things. Perhaps something small, but he would never tell you false memories." He softened. "But I'm sure you'll come to understand that again. It only took you a short while the first time, and then you were half-crazy." He started for the door.

"Half... crazy?" He asked looking back at the echidna retreating figure with confusion in his eyes.

"Yes." That was the only reply the echidna gave him, before stepping out of the room, half-expecting to see Sonic trying to hang himself or something. Instead he was greeted with the hero sitting still, by the door, in much the same posture as he had found Shadow in before.

"Well?" Sonic muttered, glaring forward, ears twitching slightly to give away his impatience. "You figure it out yet?"

The echidna sighed deeply, "His body is fine, but I'm preoccupied by his mind. He remembers, but until a certain point. After that, total blankness. he said that whenever he tries to remember, he feel searing pain."

Now... how was he supposed to tell him what he had found?

Sonic sighed. "Oh well. He seems happier this way anyhow." He rested his head back onto his arms, grumbling to himself.

"I'm not sure of that, Sonic. He feel confused. A lot confused, and he's sorry for having called you a liar. The problem is, that he locked away his latest memories, that is why he can't remember. Although I don't know why he locked them."

He made to leave, but before he could enter his own room, he turned his head around, "You should go back to him, Sonic. He will feel better seeing you."

"You're not the one who kissed him, then got asked who you were." Sonic growled. "I feel like this is some sort of poorly written soap opera."

The echidna smiled, "I'm sure that he'll remember. Maybe right now, maybe tomorrow, but I'm sure of that. You just need to give him time." He said disappearing in his room

Sonic's ears folded, but he knew Knuckles was right. He should go be inside. Maybe he could help Shadow remember.... he would go back in....in a little while. For now he just wanted to sit here and give himself a little more time to calm down.

"I KNEW it!"

His ears perked, but he suddenly felt too tired to turn and glare at the intruder. "What do you want, Amy? And why are you out of your room anyway?"

"See Sonic? He DOESN'T love you! He used you and now he just threw you away, forgetting all about you!" She accused.

She had managed to leave her room just because Tikal had called Chaos over a problem at the altar, so he had no choice but to go.

"I would REALLY appreciate it if you just went away, Amy." Sonic hissed, finally mustering the energy to turn her head and send a cold stare her way. "I'm not in the mood right now."

Amy was holding her piko-piko hammer in her right hand, "Look at what he did to you, Sonic. He's a monster! The scars on my back prove that. He's using you."

"But I will change that." She said walking towards the door of the room with the black hedgehog in it.

Sonic stood, and scowled at her. "You'll do nothing of the sort, Amy. Go inside this room, and I'll tear you apart myself. And don't think swinging that hammer at me will scare me off, cause you and I both know you can't move as fast as I can."

The pink hedgehog was a little taken aback, "Why... why do you defend him? He's a monster! A creature of evil! He almost killed me!" She countered.

"Who took the first shot, huh? If you hated started swinging, he probably wouldn't have even thought about hurting you. But no. You got him riled up, and now you think it's JUST his fault? So if some idiot goes up to Chaos and tries to make off with the Master Emerald, whose fault is it when he beats the hell out of them to get it back?"

Amy was taken aback once again, and more than before, yet, she continued to defend herself and her idea, "But Sonic! He took you away from me! He destroyed our love! He's sick, twisted, evil and perverted! He is wanted for many crimes by all the justice forces of the entire planet!"

"First off, there wasn't anything to destroy. You were a possessive stalker, and I still have trouble believing I never filed a restraining order on you." Sonic's eyes were narrowed. "Second, he's want for ONE crime, which was an act of revenge. I won't defend what he did, but I will help him keep from doing it again."

"THAT'S NOT TRUE!" She screamed with rage, "You love me! You just have trouble admitting it!"

Sonic crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at her. "I do, do I?"

"Yes. You do. I know it. It's that evil black fuzzball that clouded your mind!" She said with determination in her voice and eyes.

"And what makes you so very sure? Why would he cloud my mind?" Sonic looked overly skeptical. "C'mon now, I really want to hear this."

"I'm sure that he was sent by evil or something like that to stain your heart."

Sonic rolled his eyes. "So he's a demon sent specifically to ruin any chances of you and me? Face it Amy, you did that all by yourself. Evil didn't even need to get out of its chair."

"That's not true, Sonic! Our love is true, your and that monster's is just a fake! As soon as he sees the opportunity, he will abuse you and then kill you!"

"Better than being owned by an obsessive fangirl and strangled to death because she can't seem to let go long enough for someone to breathe." Sonic snapped.

Amy gasped upon hearing the tone of her hero, and she stared at him disbelieved.

"Yeah, you heard me right." Sonic's quills were rising, showing his anger . "I hate the way you hang on me every five seconds. If you'd grown up a little, you might've had more of a chance."

The pink hedgehog only stared at him, with mouth hanging open while her mallet slowly lowered to the ground; realization was starting to sunk in...

"You're my friend Amy, that's why I saved you from him." Sonic's voice softened, and he seemed to apologize with his words for his harsh tone before. "But you're twelve years old; you need to grow up some more before you start expecting people to look at you like they would a potential girlfriend."

"Nice a girl as you are, it's a little hard to love someone who breaks your back and cuts off your air every time you see her."

Amy looked down, tears falling from her eyes; she had always though that he loved her, that hugging him could bring them closed, that he was just too shy to admit his love for her.

But she had always been wrong.

Glancing one last time at Sonic, she retreated in her room, uncaring that her hammer was resting on the floor.

Sonic watched her go, and sank against the wall, exhausted. It had taken everything not to just yell and scream at Amy for anything he could think of, and the thought of hitting her had flashed through his mind at least twice during the conversation. And she was crying when she left. Could today get any worse?

The door slowly opened by a crack and a pair of red eyes gleamed in the dim light, "Sonic?" Shadow asked with whispered tone, scared that he would get scolded too.

Of course it could.

"Yes, Shadow...?" Sonic asked, his voice shaking a little. He was hoping he would stay calmer this time than with Amy, and when he'd spoken to Shadow earlier. He needed to go outside. He needed to run for a while. That always cleared his head.

The dark hedgehog looked away, "I'm... sorry... for having called you a liar."

He opened the door a little more, "Can you... keep me company? I feel lonely in here..."

Sonic closed his eyes for a minute, but gave a smile, mostly for show, but there was a little bit of truth there. "Sure, Shadow. And don't mind the liar thing, it's not the first time you haven't fully trusted me." He waved it off, pushing himself away from his support. "Though it will be a slight pain going through it all again..."

The ebony one opened the door and tilted his head to the side, "What you mean? And what Knuckles meant by 'you were half-crazy.'?"

"Who was half-crazy?" Sonic asked, stepping inside of the room, but head turned back to look at the other.

"Knuckles said that we took little time before going half-crazy..." He explained himself closing the door.

"That we.... oh! No, he probably meant you went crazy, Shad. And yeah, you kinda did." Sonic shrugged. "It's not important right now anyway...." 'Like hell it isn't!'

"I went... crazy?"

The word crazy triggered something in his mind and he found himself staring at a bloodied hand. His hand.

He brought his right hand to his temple and massaged there as he felt a shot of pain run through his brain. His face slightly contorted in a frown.

"Yeah...but it's fine; you probably won't do it again now." Sonic smiled and sat down on the side of the bed, deciding it would be better to contemplate his own shoes, rather than look Shadow in the face.

When he was done rubbing his head, the dark hedgehog sat beside Sonic, "How... do you know that?"

"That you went crazy, or that you won't do it again?" The hero asked, still examining his footwear, noticing for the first time that day how many scuffs and scratches they had accumulated recently.

"That I won't do it again."

"Well, you don't remember doing it, and you don't remember why you did it." Sonic shrugged. "Doesn't that mean you have no reason to do it?"

Shadow remained in silence for a few seconds, then he flopped into the bed with his back, "I guess you're right. But what if I remember and I'll go crazy again?"

"Then I'll keep with the routine of bringing you back to sanity before you rip someone's head off?" Sonic grinned, and sat back on his palms. "I mean, that's how it went before. Should work again."

"So... I killed...that's what the red hand meant... I'm a killer..."

"You're not a killer, Shadow. I'm not going to tell you why you killed them, because then you'll get your memory back, and I'm pretty sure you don't want it. You seem a lot happier this way, and before.....well, let's leave it at I'm not making you remember what you don't want to."

The black hedgehog sat back up, "You're not happy with that choice.... why?"

"Whether or not I'm happy with what you choose to remember isn't really the more important thing here." Sonic shrugged. "You're the one living with the memories, so I can deal." 'I think...I hope...damn my good intentions.'

"It's not that I don't want or want to remember... I WILL remember. My memories are right in the back of my mind, waiting for the right opportunity to strike back. And... I'm... kind of scared of what they may hold..."

"I suppose you're right to be..." Sonic sighed. "There were a few....gory bits, I'll tell you that much. But there were a few nice things. Like the sunset yesterday. That was nice." 'Of course you don't really look when you're....-ahem- ...don't think about that...' Sonic averted his eyes, swinging his feet off the side of the bed.

"You mean the sunset at the temple?"

Shadow stopped in great confusion. That had came out on his own, and with it, it had brought a few speckles of the moment...

Sonic looked back at him, surprised. "Yeah....I do...." His eyebrow raised. "Why, Knuckles give you a talk about that? He almost threw me into a lake earlier..." He shuddered.

The dark hedgehog shook his head, "No... it came out on its own. And now, I don't know why, but I feel all warm, fuzzy and happy..."

"Heh..." Sonic grinned. "Nice to know that at least didn't get completely erased from your mind. What about the clearing afterwards? You remember that too?"

"Don't ring a bell. But I have this sensation that this problem started from there."

"Yeah, Amy came." Sonic muttered, the anger flooding in, then out in seconds. "She...kinda barged in. And pissed you off."

Shadow's eyes automatically narrowed for a few seconds before resuming to be their normal self. This Amy instilled in him... rage... hate... and....

He forcefully shook his head to clear it, then looked at Sonic, "She 'barged in' in what?"

'Crap, should've have said anything....' Sonic's ears folded. "We kinda made a deal. You were going to throw me in some water and well....and she saw and charged at you...." He rubbed his upper arm, sighing.

Shadow tilted his head again, "That wouldn't be a good reason to charge me, wouldn't it?"

"Well...she didn't like the part of the deal I chose, since I didn't like water...." Sonic bit his lip.

"Soooniiiic..... The truth."

"I am telling the truth." Sonic growled, looking uncomfortable, and proceeding to swing his feet again. "I already told you I don't lie."

The black hedgehog growled playfully, and with a single and quick move, he showed Sonic back into the bed and straddled him, sitting on his lower belly; his hands quickly found the blue hedgehog's wrist and pinned them over his head.

"So?"

Sonic faltered, stuttering. "What the hell do you think you're doing!?" He growled, trying to hide the blood rushing to his face.

"Why your face is getting red?" He asked leaning a little closer to examine the event better.

"Gah! Personal space!!!" Sonic sank back, not liking the turn of events.

Shadow chuckled, "I like you this way... trapped like this... at my mercy..." He said in a familiar hushed tone.

Sonic flushed. "Nice to know you're still as pushy as ever!" He grumbled, twisting slightly in an attempt to break Shadow's hold. "And we were kissing! There! I said it! Now let me up!"

Shadow slightly froze; he could remember something of the sort, but it was still hazy.

The door opened to reveal Tikal with a bowl of liquid, maybe another medicine; she was going to say something to Shadow, but she quickly blushed on seeing them like that, "Oh... uh... I'll... I'll be back later.... Much later..." She said leaving the room and closing the door.

In the meantime, the dark creature had slackened a little his grip, but as soon as the echidna was out of the room, he returned gripping securely the other's wrist.

"So, where we left off?" He asked, looking back in Sonic's emerald eyes.

"You...were about to let me up off the bed?" It was a lame try, Sonic knew, but really could he be blamed? This was a seriously compromising position, and Tikal was probably now telling everyone that Sonic was taking advantage of Shadow's amnesia. Wonderful.

"Uh?" Shadow asked snapping out of his momentary trance, "What? Oh. No. Absolutely not. I like to have you like this. It makes me feel happy, hot and... I dunno how it's called, but I want you all for myself. At least for a few hours." He said sounding almost innocent.

".....you have no idea what that sounds like, do you?" Sonic mumbled, an eyebrow raising. "I mean...." He sighed.

"I really don't know... but it makes me... excited." He answered with a smile.

Sonic rolled his eyes. "You're as naive as ever. Nice and comfy as this is, you should probably move before Knuckles comes in and kills us or something." He winced. "Plus you just got better. I really doubt this is the time...."

"The time...?" He asked curiously.

"The time for you and me to be in this current position. Especially not you, Shadow. You're still recovering." He twisted again. "Now let go."

Shadow hummed in thought, "Ummm.... no." He said grinning devilish.

"If I didn't know better, I'd think you honestly knew how you sounded and this looked." He tugged at his arms. "Let me up Shadow, or I'm going to call Knuckles in here and have him tie you to the bed so you can't pounce me anymore."

"That is.... if he can catch me..." He said chuckling again.

"For him to NOT catch you, you'd have to get off of me, so either way, I'm not on the bed anymore." Sonic crowed in triumph, "And it's not like you can stop me from calling him anyway, if you take your hand off, you won't be able to hold both my arms down, so you can't gag me or anything!" He stuck his tongue out at the dark hedgehog.

The black hedgehog leaned in very close to Sonic's face, "Then.... why don't you call him? I'm sure that if you raise your voice enough, he'll hear you," He whispered, letting his breath brush the other's lips.

Damn, he couldn't remember why, but he LOVED to taunt Sonic like that.

Sonic squeaked and tried to press backwards into the pillow, seeking escape. Darn Shadow and his sadist nature. Maybe he could catch him off guard and toss him off?

The dark creature smiled devilish, "What's happening, Sonic? I though that you were going to call Knuckles..." He whispered inching a little closer.

"You be quiet and get off!" Sonic arched suddenly and rolled, knocking Shadow off and taking him down, pinning the other against the edge of the bed, breathing heavily. "There. Much more comfortable."

Shadow was a little shocked to found himself being the pinned one, "Hey! I'm the one supposed to pin. Not be pinned!" He protested looking up at Sonic and trying to free himself.

Too bad that whatever he had the last night, had seeped him from the majority of his strength, thus making him just as strong as the blue furry was. Maybe even less.

"Let me go! I'm the one that has to pin you down! Not the contrary!"

Sonic grinned. "What makes you so sure, huh? You always get to pin me. So, it's my turn. And I say that you should get some sleep and stop trying to seduce me until Knux and I both agree that you're healthy enough for it."

Shadow wriggled around under the blue hedgehog's weight, "No. I was having FUN!"

"At my expense." Sonic mumbled, trying to keep the dark hedgehog still before they tumbled off of the bed. "Now I'm having fun, and I say we sleep. End of story, Shadow."

"I'm not sleepy! I'm still full of energies!"

"Too bad. I want you to go to sleep. And I'm on top, so I make the rules!" Sonic grinned, and then lost his balance for a moment. "And stop moving, you're going to knock us onto the floor!"

Shadow squirmed again, "Better on the floor than pinned. Besides, who said that who was on top would make the rules?"

"It's an unwritten law of couples. And no, I'm not explaining to you what a couple is again; it was hard enough the first time...stop squirming!!!" Sonic growled, trying to pin him down more, but knowing he wouldn't succeed without practically lying on top on him.

The black one squirmed more, "Dammit! Let me go! I don't want to go to sleep!"

"Sonic? You two ok in there?"

That was Knuckles, who was a little worried on what was going on with the two; he had heard something from Tikal, but she had been enigmatic like always.

"We're fine, Knuckles." Sonic called. "Do you have anything to knock Shadow out for a few hours till he settles down and stops randomly pinning people to the damn bed?!"

"Hold on. I have something that may help." He said walking back into his room.

Shadow's eyes glinted strangely, then he started trashing a little more, "It always took more than five humans to pin me down. I'm not going to be pinned by a single hedgehog!"

"Watch it Shadow, this single hedgehog saved your life a few times, thank you very much." Sonic snapped, holding on a little tighter before suddenly losing his grip, "Crap!!" .....and tumbling off of the bed to the floor, rolling a short way and landing facedown. "Ow..."

The black hedgehog sat up, "Told you that you couldn't pin me down forever. And now..." He said standing up and slowly walking towards Sonic.

"Never said I would try forever...." Sonic growled, pushing himself up and dusting off, not noticing that Shadow was moving until the other furry was right behind him. "Ah!" He yelped, shifting and trying to backpeddle away.

Shadow was faster, and he managed once again to pin Sonic to the floor in the same position as before; he grinned widely, "Told you that I still had plenty of energy."

Unfortunately for him, in that moment the door opened to reveal an echidna with a bowl in his right hand. When he was in the room, he locked it to keep the dark one from escaping.

"You won't have energy for long, hedgehog." The echidna growled.

Sonic grinned wildly. "You're a lifesaver, Red! Seriously!" The hero made a futile try to knock Shadow off. "If you can just grab him, we can begin, yes?"

The Guardian placed the bowl on the nightstand, and without warning, he tried to gram the black hedgehog. Unfortunately, Shadow dodged pretty easily, "You're slow, Red One." He said backtracking slowly towards the door.

"I may be..." Knuckles admitted, moving along so that he was between the door and the renegade patient at all times.

"But I'M not!" Sonic hopped behind Shadow and caught both hands behind the other's back. "Knuckles, you c'mere and take him, I'll get the medicine." Knuckles nodded, and came forward quickly.

Shadow started trashing around, "LET MEGO! I DO NOT WANT TO GO TO SLEEP!" He screamed managing to free one hand.

"You'll need it, Shadow." Knuckles said, grabbing the free hand and the captured one from a frowning Sonic, the hero hurrying around the flailing limbs to the dresser.

Shadow wasn't going down without a fight, "Let me go!" He yelled tripping the echidna's legs from under him.

Knuckles growled and twisted in midair, switching the side he pinned Shadow's hands down on, and sitting on his legs. Now Shadow was pinned down on the floor, with barely enough moving room to struggle anymore. And Sonic was returning with the medicine.

The black hedgehog looked up at Sonic and put up a trick that always worked with Maria.

The sad puppy eyes...

"Please...." He said managing to get a few tears out of his eyes, "I don't want to sleep...."

And of course, Sonic slowed, and his ears folded. Shadow looked like he was about to burst into tears or something akin. Knuckles wasn't quite so taken in by the cuteness.

"Sonic, you give that to him, or I'll force it down your throat too."

Since the Guardian didn't fall for that, Shadow resumed trashing under him, "Dammit! Let me go! I don't want to sleep!"

"Too bad, Shadow." Knuckles ground out through his teeth, forcing the hedgehog down harder. "You need it, obviously. You're FAR too active. Sonic? Are you going to give it to him or not?"

"Yeah...sorry, Shadow..." Sonic knelt and propped Shadow's head up. "At least this tastes better than the other stuff."

The black hedgehog's struggles slowed down as he inhaled the sweet vapors of the new medicine, "Lemmme go..." He slurred out as his sight became blurred, "I dun wanna sleep..."

"It's okay Shadow, you just need to settle down is all...." Sonic tipped some of the herb mixture down the hedgehog's throat, smiling in reassurance. "Just go to sleep, everything's all right..."

"Youdun understand.... the eyes'll be back..." He muttered sleepily after the first mouthful of liquid reached his stomach, "Scary bloody yellow eyes...." He muttered again as his struggles to get away from Knuckles ceased.

"Bloody yellow?" Knuckles blinked, but Sonic had already administered the last of the batch. In seconds, Shadow was going to be out cold.

"The thing.... hunting me..." He mumbled as his body relaxed and his head slowly fell to the ground.

"What thing?" Knuckles questioned, looking to Sonic. The hedgehog took hold of Shadow's shoulders and lifted him onto the bed, with help from the Guardian, avoiding the inquiry till they had finished.

"Shroudendarkness.... Wanna kill me...." He muttered, finally falling asleep under the medicine.

"Oh..." Sonic mumbled. Knuckles gave him another look, telling the hedgehog that the moment they were clear of Shadow's room, he would be explaining this a little more in depth. Sonic nodded and covered the sleeping dark furry in the warm blankets, smiling at how the slumbering face had already seemed to go peaceful.

"C'mon Sonic, you've got a story to tell. Now." Sonic's ears flattened and he quickly sprinted after the echidna, turning the light dim, and shutting the door behind them as they exited.

Knuckles opened the door to his room and motioned for the blue hedgehog to sit on the small table in the center, So, start telling me.

"Telling what?" Sonic asked innocently, sitting down as he did so. His ears were pricked forward, so he looked mildly interested in the 'unknown' topic.

"I saw you when he started babbling about that thing. Now. Explain."

"Ah. Well, actually, I really don't know what it is..." Sonic held his hand up before Knuckles could threaten him. "I know that he spoke of it chasing him when we first met, after I saved him from the fire." The hedgehog sighed, bringing his hand back to run through his quills.

"I never saw it...so I figured maybe it was an illusion caused by one of Eggman's 'bots. Tails said the details he gave us fit some sort of 'ancient evil' though." He made quotations with his fingers.

The echidna rubbed his right temple slowly, "Ancient evil? Is Eggman never learning from his mistakes?"

"That's what I said..." Sonic shrugged. "At least he went for a little bit a change. This 'thing'..." More finger quotations. "...controls fire or something along those lines. And Shadow said once it starts a job it never quits."

The Guardian sat opposite Sonic, "Good grief.... not again..." He muttered.

"Not again what?" Sonic rested his chin in his hands, watching Knuckles. "I know it sounds a lot like Chaos, but this sound be more fun! I don't sink in fire!" He grinned.

"Yeah, but you get roasted..." He countered leaning on the back of the chair, "If I remember correctly, Shadow got nearly killed in that arson, right?"

"Shadow was exhausted from running from days without any sleep. I doubt we have to worry about that." Sonic began studying his hands, not paying attention really. "I mean...we've got Chaos to help put out any fires it might start, right?"

"I won't be sure of anything, Sonic. Every ancient evil is supposedly strong and unbeatable..."

"And if you'll notice, Knux, we seem to keep on beating it. I don't mean to sound...egotistical or anything, but when has Robotnik actually come up with a good plan we haven't shot down?"

"Yet lately his plans tends on something that in the end they could cause total destruction..."

"This is true." Sonic commented, frowning in thought. "Well, what do you think we should do about it then? You're the one who comes up with all the plans here."

Knuckles sighed deeply, "For the moment, we'll wait till everyone get backs their bearings, then Tails, which is currently sleeping the remaining room, will tell us why he was so late and what he found after his accurate research on this new evil."

"Tails got back? Why don't you people tell me these things?" Sonic growled, crossing his arms. "Has he found out yet?"

The Guardian raised his hands in defense, "First, when he came here he was pretty tired and told me that he was going straight to bed, second, according to Tikal, you were.... enjoying yourselves..."

".....Shadow pinning me down to the bed is not enjoyable at this stage." Sonic's eyes narrowed. "And what makes you think I do anything like that with the condition he's in? I'm a hedgehog, not an animal."

"Hedgehogs, humans, echidnas, foxes... we are all animals." He answered hinting a small grin.

"Shut up. You know what I mean." The hero grumbled, finger-combing his quills. "I should probably go to sleep now, but I really don't feel like it yet...." He sighed, "...you're sure his memory will come back fully, right? Don't want him to remember one thing and not another. It makes talking to him so awkward...."

The echidna shrugged, "I'm not really sure. It depends on his mind. Lately he went so much under pressure that his mind, to avoid completely breaking, locked away his most recent memories. What we have now, is the Shadow before the ARK incident. It's like his mind returned to the past, in an attempt to have a better possibility to have a normal life.... to never do the mistakes he did."

"What about the rest of what's happened? I mean...he's already started to remember a few things...like attacking me when I'm not looking and pinning me down. Should we even help him remember?" Sonic sighed. "He seems happier, and less stressed, since before he was walking the tightrope of sane and Jack-The-Ripper...."

"Well, I'm not sure if we should help him or not, but I'm sure that we do not have to push him. It'll only make his mind lock his memories more deeply."

"If he doesn't want to remember, wouldn't that be considered a good thing?" Sonic was rubbing at the inner corners of his eyes, when a sleep-deprived headache was forming.

"Even if he doesn't want to remember, he's starting to remember. Some memories might be locked away forever, and if this happen, I hope that they are the worst ones."

"Yeah. At least then he'll have a shot at being the Shadow we know, but with a far less hard path ahead." Sonic winced as another pang struck his skull like a bell. "I need aspirin..." He growled to himself.

The echidna stood up and after a few seconds of rummaging in a bag of his, he placed a small green pill in front of Sonic, "It's from the same herbs I used for the medicine we gave Shadow to make him sleep, but this is less powerful. You'll just feel a little sleepy and when you'll wake up the headache will be gone."

"So, in other words I'm being drugged, yes?" Sonic examined the pill in curiosity. "I really hope these are certified..."

"The may not be certified from the human society, but they are far more effective and, being directly from natural components, they are harmless for your organism."

Sonic rolled his eyes. "You sound like a scientist." Then, deciding not to stall any longer, he popped the pill into his mouth as swallowing, expecting there to be a bitter aftertaste, as with most medicine. Instead, he was shocked. "It's...sweet..." He mumbled, confused. "...like.. honey sweet..." He looked at Knuckles.

The echidna nodded, "There's some honey in there, but now I suggest you get into bed before you collapse here and have me to drag you there."

"Right....." He answered, shakily getting to his feet, then stumbling a little. "I'll just...." The world began spinning and he grabbed hold of table for support. "....dang, this stuff...works fast...."

Knuckles shook his head, then he grabbed Sonic by the shoulder, "Come." He said helping him walk, "But next time, do me a favor, put yourself in bed before you get the pill, ok?"

"Yeah....okay.." Sonic was already drifting off, stumbling over Knuckles' feet, his own, and feet that weren't even there to be stumbled over. "Wow...I didn't know the floor was above us...?"

"Sonic, try to not fall asleep now, will you?" The Guardian asked trying to drag his blue friend out of his room and towards Sonic and Shadow's one.

"Am...trying.." Sonic growled, digging his feet under himself and getting two steps before pitching forward. "Owww........my head hurts...." He tried to grab the aforementioned pained area, but missed and his arms fell back to his side.

The echidna shook his head and scooped Sonic over his shoulder; there. Now he could walk better.

He left his room and walked to the next door, opening it and walking softly into the new room, trying to not disturb the other hedgehog. Not that Shadow would wake up after they gave him that medicine...

Sonic gave a distorted growl, which came out as more of a rumble, trying to push himself out of Knuckles grip. "I'm fine....can walk...by myself....."

"Yeah, sure..." He muttered back lowering Sonic next to the bed and making him sat on the edge.

Sonic teetered and fastened his hands to the bedside to stay sitting up. "Seee..." He slurred, border-lining a whine. "Am...fiiine..."

"Are you sure?" He asked poking him in the forehead.

"Sta...stop that..." Sonic tried to pull away, and ended up falling backwards. "Now.....see what you...did...?" He grumbled lazily.

As soon as the black hedgehog felt a warmth next to him, he rolled on his side and captured it with his left arm, nuzzling into it.

Knuckles grinned, "See you tomorrow, Sonic." He said leaving the room and closing the door behind him.

Sonic gave a slightly distressed noise as Knuckles left him, but the pill was already halfway done with its work. Before he could stop himself, his eyes slid shut and the world faded to black....

When the black hedgehog opened his eyes, he found himself gripping the blue hedgehog with his left arm while his head was slightly pressed into the crook of his neck. This made his breath brush on the blue fur there while whenever he breathed, he breathed in Sonic's scent.

Sonic had shifted quite a bit during his drugged slumber, having rolled over onto his side somewhat, and now was resting his cheek against Shadow's forehead, limbs sprawled out to tangle with covers and his bedmate's. Yet he still slept on, for the pill's effects had given way to exhaustion.

It took Shadow a few minutes to clear his head from the haziness brought by sleep, but when he was aware of their current position, he smirked devilish and nuzzled a little closer, tugging away the cover that blocked skin contact.

When he managed to 'straighten' the blanket, the dark one literally pressed his body to the other and closed his eyes, enjoying the contact.

The sapphire hedgehog seemed to not fully comprehend what had happened to the blanket, but was quite pleased to accept the replacement offer of warmth, rolling toward Shadow a little more, face blank from a dreamless sleep.

The red streaked hedgehog snickered happily as he felt the other accept his move and even return it.

Sonic felt the slight rumble from the second body's silent laughter and frowned, eyes moving beneath his lids in an effort to push sleep away. He was still too tired however, and settled back against the other, curling somewhat, so to capture more body heat.

Shadow moved around a little and managed to partially lay over the blue hedgehog, slightly pinning him down with his own body.

The hero complied for a moment, than began to try and twist in his sleep, looking for a more comfortable way to lie, and ending up only turning fully onto his back. Immediately he tried to curl, finding Shadow in his way.

Now the black hedgehog was fully laying over Sonic and he snickered again over this.

He LOVED when he was messing like this with the other hedgehog.

Sonic made another attempt to twist, and with a defeated sigh, settled back down into his dream world. At least he was still warm...

Shadow smiled and leaned his head on the blue furry's chest, feeling the breathing and the heartbeat. which were extremely soothing for him.

The cerulean hedgehog shifted a little as the weight pressed onto his chest, but stilled, laughing under his breath a little as the other's exhaled air brushed over his fur.

Shadow smiled and started slightly scratch the other chest with his right hand.

Sonic's ears twitched, and a soft sound, similar to a giggle, escaped his throat. Then he curled slightly to the side and began to purr loudly, trying to get closer to the petting hand.

The black hedgehog's smile grew at that and kept on scratching the other's chest.

And in response, Sonic purred louder, trying to wiggle closer. In the end, he laid back again, the purring increasing as Shadow's hand moved on.

Shadow straddled the hedgehog under him, the blanket still remaining over his shoulders, and added his other hand on the task.

Sonic continued purring until Shadow reached a certain point on his chest, then he suddenly twisting, face contorted in surprise and a hushed laugh breaking though his lips.

It appeared Sonic was ticklish.

The black hedgehog moved Sonic's arms under his legs, so he was pinning him down better, and slowly started to alternate the rubbing and the tickling, amusing himself.

Sonic gasped, and squirmed harder, struggling as well as he could while pinned and still weighed down by sleep. Somewhere in the midst of the strange little battle being fought, Sonic felt himself waking, though slowly.

After one of the tickle-brought-on fits, Sonic eyes snapped open, looking around wildly, trying to clear sleep from them.

Shadow stopped his attacks, "Hello there, sleeping beauty."

"Wha....?" Sonic mumbled. When he finally realized the position he was in, and who it was with, he gave a startled squeak. "Shadow?! You're awake already?!"

The black hedgehog slightly nodded, grin forming on his face.

Sonic eyes narrowed. "You little demon. Pinning me down in my sleep...." He growled. "Lemme up!"

"Actually, you started pinning yourself under me. I just completed the work" He said starting to caress Sonic's chest again.

Sonic gave a small yip of distress and tried to sink back into the bed to avoid the dark hands, "Stop that! Right now!" He couldn't, however, hiding the rising rumble of the purr already forming in the back of his throat.

"Why should I stop when we both know that you like it?"

"Because I said so...." Sonic managed to growl through the escalating sound of his purrs.

Shadow's stroking slowed down and he lowered himself so he was a breath away from the other's face, "Yet, deep down, you want it to continue, right?"

"If you don't stop, I'll have Knuckles drug you again..." Sonic snarled, or tried to, wanting to seem fearsome. The words came out as more a sharp, sighing churr, and probably sounded more dazed and cute than threatening.

The dark creature smiled, "I'm not sure that you want him to interrupt us. You seems to enjoy this." He said resuming his stroking of Sonic's chest.

"You really...suck for this...." He grumbled, resigning however hesitantly.

"Why?" He asked finally laying down over the blue one, yet keeping up his stroking.

The only answer was soft moan, Sonic trying to relocate his voice. The purring was still resonating throughout the room, and a smile was creeping its way onto his face, no matter how he tried to fight it.

The dark hedgehog smirked, "Told you so." He whispered nuzzling into the crook of the other's neck, "You love this too."

"....mmm...." Sonic tilted his head to the side, mumbling incoherently as he did so, but obviously protesting that he did in fact, not like the attention, despite his actions countering the argument.

Shadow momentarily stopped, "What?" He muttered without moving his head.

The halt in Shadow's actions bought a slur of protest from the hedgehog's throat, trying to shift and press against the darker furry, practically demanding he resumed.

The black creature smiled, "Ok, ok." He said resuming the stroking, "I like it when you're under my mercy." He said placing his lips on Sonic's neck. "Makes me feel all warm inside."

A pleased rumble echoed from Sonic's chest, until he felt the kiss against his throat. Then there was a loud gasp, and Sonic twisted a little, surprised.

Shadow chuckles a little before biting gently the skin on the neck, teasing it with his tongue, moistening the fur with his saliva. Then, a few seconds later, he started gently suckling it while his right hand kept the stroking and his left one traveled on Sonic's shoulder, keeping him from moving more.

Sonic, finding himself stilled by Shadow's grip, began to voice pleasure, and startled discomfort, in sharp squeals and whimpers. He was turning to squirm out of the demonic other's grip when a soft knocking made his ears swivel.

"Sonic? Are you awake...? Knuckles said the medicine should've worn off by now....Sonic?"

The black hedgehog grumbled his annoyance, but stopped nonetheless; he licked Sonic's neck one last time and stood up, uncovering himself and walking to the door.

When he opened the door, he found himself in front of a young fox with two tails, "Yes? May I help you?" He asked sighing and not recognizing the kit.

Why everything and everyone always disturbed him when he was 'playing' with Sonic?

Tails blinked in surprise, before regaining. "Good morning, Shadow. Sorry to disturb you...I suppose Sonic's not awake yet?"

The black hedgehog threw a thumb over his shoulder, "He's awake. I was just..." He snickered happily. "... playing with him. I'm going to ask Knuckles what he made me drink yesterday, so next time maybe I can make him drink it."

He left the room, but after a second he poked his head inside, "By the way, who are you?"

"Wha...?" Tails stared for a second, then laughed. "Oh, I'm sorry. Knuckles told me, but I guess it slipped my mind...I'm Tails." He smiled brightly. "Pleased to meet you again." He nodded, the his ears went forward quickly, picking up a moan. He smiled.

"You might want to help Sonic out of bed, Shadow. Breakfast is almost done. Knuckles said he'd be dizzy and all when he woke up, and I doubt your....'play' is making it any easier on him."

Shadow smirked and glanced at the bed, "Yet he liked it to the point to want me to never stop."

Tails looked thoughtful for a moment, then shook his head, holding his hand up. "No, I don't think I want to know the details." He turned ready to leave. "Just make sure whatever you two are doing in there is done in time for Sonic to get some breakfast. He has a tendency to be really grouchy if he's not fed."

Shadow raised an eyebrow and returned in the room, forgetting all about Knuckles' medicine, "When's breakfast ready?"

"Not for another half hour," The kit replied. "Two, if Knuckles burns the food again....which reminds me, I'd better check on him..." Tails turned to go, but paused and looked back, "You'd better come eat later too, Shadow. It's not good to go too long on an empty stomach." Then the foxling departed.

Shadow nodded, then, as he closed the door, he slowly turned his head to look at Sonic, a devilish grin plastered on his face.

Sonic had taken the chance offered by Tails interruption, and was trying to escape from the bed he'd been pinned to previously. Of course, the waves of dizziness brought on by both Knuckles' medication and Shadow's torment. He'd only made it to the foot of the bed when the conversation ended, and was now looking Shadow straight in the face.

The black hedgehog started advancing slowly, "Where are you going, Sonic?" He asked innocently.

"N...nowhere...!!" As he answered, Sonic hurriedly put his feet down and tried to run, only to stumble on his first steps.

Shadow quickly rushed in front of him and grabbed him by rounding his arms on the other's waist even before he could fall, "You're still dizzy to stand up. Besides..." He moved his head so his lips were slightly pressing on the same spot on the neck of before, "Wouldn't you like to resume what we were doing before the kit interrupted us?" He whispered, teasing the still moist fur there.

Sonic whimpered softly, and sunk backwards into Shadow's embrace, quiet moans escaping as he tried to twist out of the other hedgehog's arms, but finding he didn't quite have the strength to throw him off.

"You keep telling me that you don't want, yet your body want it." He snickered, "And I know that deep down, you want it even if you negate it."

"Stop being evil..." Sonic groaned, squirming still, "And leggo of me....right now...." He tried to lift his legs and kick at Shadow, but lost his balance and almost collapsed into Shadow's hold with a startled cry.

"If I let you go, You'll just fall to the ground, right?" He asked nuzzling into Sonic's neck.

Sonic moaned, pressing his head backward to expose more of his throat, knowing he was only encouraging Shadow but unable to help it. "You're not playing fair...." Sonic whined.

"What makes me play unfair then?" He asked stopping in his tauntings.

"You get all the fun..." He mumbled, head leaning against Shadow's opposite shoulder. "Always catch me off guard....teasing me...not fair..."

The black hedgehog smirked, "Is that so?" He asked giving a final lick to Sonic's neck.

Then, he accompanied the blue furry to the bed and made him sit on it; afterwards, he sat next to him, "Then go on. But you have to do your best."

Sonic blinked for a moment confused, but his eyes brightened mischievously, hinting his mind had already cooked something up. Then he disappeared behind Shadow, vanishing from the dark creature's sight line with a soft chuckle.

Then, his hands reappeared, sliding over Shadow's shoulders, gently pushing him backwards into Sonic's chest, where they tightened to hold him down, but give his hands free range.

The black hedgehog felt warm at that, but the fact that he was somewhat pinned, even if he had given the possibility, made him... a little grouchy. Yet, he could do nothing but hint a smile.

Sonic grinned almost wickedly to himself, and attacked the one weak spot on Shadow he knew for sure of. His ears. He placed a small kiss behind the left one to make sure, gently pressing his lips into the ebony fur, smiling in glee.

The black hedgehog slightly jumped for the surprise, but then he just found himself relax into Sonic's chest.

He loved to tease him, but even being teased was not bad.

Sonic's only response to Shadow's own was to begin gently nibbling the flesh behind the ear, kissing alternately, and running his hands gently along his 'victim's' chest.

The only thing that Shadow could do was gasp softly and press his back on the blue hedgehog for more of that.

The hero laughed under his breath, kissing up along the back of the ear, and carefully taking the ridge of it into his teeth, biting down only barely, so as not to break the skin. At the same time, his hands located the white tuft in the center off Shadow's upper torso, and began raking themselves through it.

The black hedgehog moved his head backwards, so it rested on Sonic's right shoulder, exposing his neck. This was... rather intriguing...

He thought that he could have fun if he teased the other hedgehog, but even being teased by him was pretty fun.

No... not fun... wonderful.

Sonic beamed mentally, having noticed how put out Shadow had been about giving up his more dominant role. Now the dark furry seemed to be readily enjoying his role of being 'tormented' and Sonic was all too happy to dish out, moving from the edge of the ear to the tip, now able to reach it since Shadow's head had moved.

The dark creature closed his eyes and let his companion do whatever he wanted with him while he let his mind focus solely on the sensation that Sonic's touch gave him.

He shivered in delight as Shadow succumbed, quickly switching ears to begin the process all over again, still grinning wildly as he did so. While he busied himself with Shadow's ears, his hands seemed to have accumulated a mind of their own, racing along the sides of Shadow's torso, to explore with increasing enthusiasm.

Shadow slightly jumped upon feeling the other's hands on his sides and he gave out a mumbled moan of pleasure mixed with slight surprise.

The sapphire hedgehog chuckled quietly into Shadow's fur, still letting his hands roam down to the dark furry's stomach, then back to his chest to play with the white fur again, enjoying every noise he made.

Shadow was able to just moan out a chuckle. He enjoyed every second of this; to tease and being teased were two total different things, and he liked both of them.

Sonic shifted around from Shadow's back, gently began nuzzling the other's neck, feeling satisfied. "See? I know what I'm doing..." His voice was muffled by the fur, and his hands didn't seem quite finished with him yet, still playing with his chest fur.

The dark hedgehog grinned, "I see that I taught you well." He managed before another small moan escaped his throat.

"Taught me?" Sonic scoffed, brushing his lips against Shadow's, but pulling quickly away. "You didn't even know what kissing was before you met me...." Suddenly he frowned, and regarded Shadow. "Suddenly, I feel like I'm taking advantage of you..."

The black hedgehog turned around in Sonic's arms, "Why should you take advantage of me? I like this. I feel that I want this to even go on."

"I know..." Sonic groaned, resting his forehead against Shadow's. "But...you still don't remember anything about before waking up last night, right? That practically makes you a kid again. It's almost pedophilia. I could get in trouble for even THINKING about doing this stuff to you..." He laughed, but in a worried way. "Of course, I'm wanted anyway, for helping you in the first place...."

Shadow saddened and curled up in the other chest, "Sorry if I troubled you this much. I don't remember what happened or what I did, but I'm sorry the same." He said hiding his face in the tan fur.

"You didn't do anything wrong...they kind of want you for what you are, technically. Sure, at a few times you almost took some people's heads off, but don't worry about that now..." He rested his cheek against the dark hedgehog's head, holding him close.

"I... why they want me so much? I'm just holding a cure for the same syndrome Maria had..." He said starting to sob quietly, "The only desire of my creator was to find a cure for that. Nothing else..."

"Not what you told me before, but that's a good thing. You're better off right now, without a lot of things in that head of yours..." He nuzzled his cheek with Shadow's, "Don't cry, alright? I hate it when you do..."

Shadow sniffled, "Was I that bad?"

"You? You went bad..." Sonic hugged him. "A lot of things that happened were, is all. But, I guess if some part of you thinks it's better for you to not remember, it's probably for the best. The guys and I can help you remember what you want to, if we can."

"Really you can make me remember what I want?"

"We can't MAKE you remember....but we can help. We can try anyway, so you won't be completely lost on every subject." He smiled.

The black hedgehog placed his arms around Sonic's neck and gently hugged him, "Thanks Sonic." He said snuggling into the blue hedgehog's body for the warmth.

"Anytime, Shadow..." He kissed the other's forehead gently, and sighed, holding him as close as he could. "What good as a hero would I be, if I couldn't take care of the one person I really wanted to."

"I don't suppose you two would break it up long enough to eat?" Sonic looked up, and there was the red Guardian in the doorway, eyes narrowed. "Or perhaps you've already finished then?"

The black hedgehog narrowed his eyes at the retreating figure, then sighed and placed his face into the other's neck, "I guess we should go, right?" He tightened a little his hug, "Yet I don't want to move..."

Sonic huffed quietly. "Think I do? I could sit here all day....well...all day if there was a plate chilidogs nearby..." His voice trailed in thought of the delicious food, a smile twitching on his muzzle.

Shadow sighed, "Ok, ok. I got the message..." He said standing up and offering a hand to the blue hedgehog, "Think you can walk on your own, or you want me..." He trailed of as a mischievous glint briefly flashed in his eyes, "To carry you?"

"Now why does that offer seem insanely familiar?" The hero gave a loud sigh and took hold of the gesture of support, pulling himself to his feet. After a few seconds of standing, he ceased to sway and took a few wobbly steps forward, grinning.

The black hedgehog let go of him, mumbling something under his breath along the lines that he wanted to carry him, and maybe mess with a little.

Sonic smiled triumphantly. "Well, I guess I win this time then, don't I?" He took another step toward the door, this one a little more shaky than the others, and reached out to grab onto Shadow arm to stop himself from falling.

Shadow gladly let the other hedgehog grab him and hinted a grin, "Maybe I should still carry you...?" He half said, half asked.

"I can do it..." Sonic insisted, his voice on the edge of a growl. "All by myself. I've been doing it for years longer than YOU have...."

The dark hedgehog let out a small chuckle, "I don't doubt that, but right now I see that you.... are indeed in need of help."

"Am not..." He pushed away, and almost tumbled to the ground, catching himself at the last minute, by falling against the wall as a crutch. He grumbled in undertone, not pleased. "I just...hafta get a little more movement in me. This half your fault anyway...."

Shadow crossed his arms and slightly tilted his head to the left side, "Why should be it half my fault?"

More grumbles, so that only small bits of information was even partly understandable. "....pinning people down to bed....with your petting..." It was clear Sonic just felt like blaming something other than his own two legs and admitting that they didn't want to listen today.

"I didn't touched your legs, so it's not my fault if they don't work like they should."

"....Is....too..." Sonic muttered, and made a gambling reach for the door before his legs buckled altogether.

The black one caught Sonic before he could hit the floor, "Is not. And now... let me help you." He said cradling the blue hedgehog in his arms.

His passenger wasn't quite as thrilled, pushing against his chest to get down. "Don't want help." He whined, sounding like a child. "Wanna walk."

Shadow grinned and moved his mouth near the blue creature's ear, "I'll make you walk, but I'll stick behind you, with my arms around you to prevent you from falling."

Sonic stilled, blinking, suddenly seeing the advantages to being carried.

"So, you want to be carried or walk?"

He turned his head around and nuzzled into Shadow's chest, noticeably preferring it to pushing away again. To make sure the dark furry got the message, he kissed the white tuft gently and buried his face into it, grinning mentally.

"I guess that's carrying, then." He said opening the adjacent door with his foot and entering in the corridor.

Sonic gave a delighted giggle, which was muffled easily by the chest fur, though no doubt Shadow could feel it making his sides tremble.

Shadow looked around, then he heard Tails and Knuckles talk in the adjacent room, guessing that they were there, he walked in front of the half open door, "Can we come in?" He asked trying to sound polite, right like Maria always told him to.

Tails looked up, and brightened. "Shadow! Of course!" His gaze fell to Sonic in his arms and blinked for a moment, then rolled his eyes. Knuckles finally acknowledged them and raised an eyebrow toward the blue hedgehog, who was already looking out at them both with a sheepish smile.

The dark hedgehog chuckled happily, then he walked in the room and set the other hedgehog near a chair, "He couldn't walk on his own, and he preferred being carried."

"Why couldn't he walk...?" Knuckles asked, glaring suspiciously between the two as Sonic tried to get to the chair in order to sit down.

"Well, I gave him the option of walking with my aid, but he preferred being carried." He said grinning like crazy and snickering all the way.

Knuckles looked like he wanted to smack Sonic upside the head, his expression clearly saying 'you lazy hedgehog.' Sonic shrugged, still smiling, and finally hoisted himself into the chair.

"I wonder what you two could have been doing to make Sonic's legs give out..." He growled, obviously NOT wondering.

Shadow took a seat at the head of the rectangular table, "I... just played with him... that's all."

"Uh...huh...." Knuckles nodded, returning his gaze to his food, signaling that not more details were needed to prove his theory. Sonic, who knew automatically what the Echidna thought, chucked a small bit of scrambled egg at him.

"What's all this?" He asked changing argument.

Tails gestured toward the expanse of the small table. "What you see is what you get, mostly. Eggs, Knuckles found them for us, some toast, some sort of breadcake Tikal showed us how to make, and of course..." He motioned toward the middle of the table, where Sonic had already homed in on the scent.

"Chilidogs!" The hero shrieked in delight, trying to reach. The Guardian raised an eyebrow and scooted the platter into the outstretched fingers. There was a cry of utter joy and Sonic snatched one up.

The black hedgehog tilted his head, "Chili... dogs? You eat... dogs...?"

Immediate choking.

"Wha?! No!" Sonic gave him a look reprimanding him for even thinking of such a thing. "Chilidogs are just hotdogs with chili on them. Perfectly safe, and legal." He took another bite.

Shadow looked at him in total confusion, then he shrugged and looked at the table, trying to see if he could pinpoint his usual tasteless meal that he was always force to eat.

After a few seconds, Knuckles paused in his eating. "What are you looking for.....? You're too well to eat just soup now."

"I.... was looking for my usual tasteless meal..." he said still looking around, resigned to the fact that he would live his life forever eating that pasture thing.

There was silence for a moment as they others at the table regarded him. Finally Knuckles broke the silence, Sonic's mouth still full and Tails to in shock to do so.

"Shadow...you don't eat that anymore. I suppose we'd forgotten that with your memory gone, you don't recall the food you've eaten while you were with us." He pointed towards the table. "You eat these sorts of food now."

The black hedgehog seemed hesitant, then he regarded the echidna, "Really?"

Knuckles started to nod, but then Sonic swallowed his bite of chilidog and took matters into his own hands. Grabbing up a fork, he quickly speared some of the eggs from the plate nearby and popped them into Shadow's mouth while it was still open.

"Really."

Shadow was pretty startled by that and jumped on his chair upon feeling the egg in his mouth, then he started slowly savoring it, the fork going up and down in his mouth.

Sonic grinned, and left Shadow to his 'first' taste of things, remembering how fond he'd been of the different kinds of soup they'd given him before. Returning to his chilidog, he started to take another bite when he heard a shrill screaming.

"NO! I DON'T want anything to eat! Go AWAY!!!"

Upon hearing that voice, the black hedgehog's fur and quill stood all on end, then he started shaking, swallowing the piece of egg and taking the fork out of his mouth and replacing it on the table.

His eyes looked scared of something that he could feel slowly rising from within him.

Tails was up, and out of the room in a second, followed quickly by Knuckles, leaving Sonic to try and soothe the frightened, and unknowingly angered, hedgehog.

"It's all right, Shadow. It's just Amy. Ignore her for now; she's throwing a tantrum..."

"Please... don't make her come near me...." He said trying to forget that voice that instilled in him something that he didn't liked.

"She wouldn't come near you if you wanted her to. We can't have her swinging at you again...." Sonic hushed the hedgehog. "Just eat your food, Shadow. She's not allowed out of her room anyway."

the black hedgehog nodded, and with uncertainty and something akin to fear and preoccupation, he took the fork again and reached out for another egg.

Knuckles strode back inside, a grimace on his face. "I can't believe her sometimes...." He grabbed his pack and tossed it over his shoulder. "Sonic, when you and Shadow are done eating, can you clean up? I've got to go get Tails some herbs for that bite." Sonic nodded briskly, staring after Knuckles as he departed hastily.

The black hedgehog looked at Sonic, "What's happening?"

"Sounds like Amy bit Tails. I'd hoped she was only pissed at me right now, but I guess she's not..." Sonic looked apologetic and angry at the same time. "Wish she wouldn't take it out on everyone else..."

"It was partially my fault... right?"

"More hers than yours. She didn't take the whole....you and me thing well...." Sonic sighed, and finished his chilidog. "She's...slightly obsessive."

"I... think I know that..." He said tinkering with the egg in his plate.

Sonic raised an eyebrow, "Remember her already, I guess?"

"No..." He said taking a bite in his mouth and swallowing it, "Just a faint sensation."

The azure furry nodded. "Good enough. I'll advise you not to step within swinging range, cause she's nail you with her hammer. She's gotten you once before already."

There was silence for several seconds, until the black hedgehog took another bite of his meal, "This... is really tasteful."

"Um...yeah?" Sonic laughed, grateful for the subject change. "You freaked out before too. Guess you'll never get over it, will you?"

"I never ate... things like this back on ARK..."

"I know..." Sonic paused, and regarded Shadow. "You know....memory, or no memory, you technically still owe me a race...." He thought about it. "Although....the Island's not the safest place to run around on right now. GUN's supposedly coming back, according to Knuckles..."

"Why do I own you a race?"

"Because you're the only one who is naturally as fast or faster than me." Sonic grinned, returning his attention to the table to grab one of Tikal's breadcakes and nibble it. "Beating you would be much more gratifying than Knuckles or Tails."

The dark one looked at him confused "You can..." Then he smiled, "Break the sound barrier? Right like me?"

"Exactly." Sonic took another bite, enjoying the taste of this odd new food. It was like unsugared, buttered waffles in pancake form. Strangely good too.

Now Shadow was interested, "How's that?" He asked stretching to get a piece of the same pancake Sonic was eating.

Sonic pulled the food out of his reach, eyes clearly stating that this food was his and he'd have to be fought for it before giving it up, "Born with it, just like you."

Shadow's eyes narrowed and he Chaos Controlled next to Sonic and grabbed the pancake, then he quickly walked back to his chair and bit down on it, "Then it's something of your family genetic treasure or something like an 'aberration'?"

"HEY!!!" Sonic tackled the other furry, wrapping his arms around his neck and his legs around his waist. He stuck his head other the dark hedgehog's shoulder. "Give that back!!! You should've gotten your own!!!" He made a flailing grab for it.

"First, I asked you something, second..." He quickly chewed all the pancake left and gulped it down, "This is now resting in my stomach. Unless you want it back..."

Sonic gave a loud growl and slid off, pouting. "Thief. And I don't know what an abrr....broccoli thinger-mahjig is so I couldn't tell you."

"Aberration as in a defect on your DNA that enables you to be so fast. Although I can't call it aberration or defect, but something special."

Sonic blinked, then shrugged, grabbing another pancake and guarding this one as he chewed on it. "I wouldn't know. Tails deals with all the science stuff, remember?"

The black hedgehog rolled his eyes and finally sat down, "I'm asking you if your speed is a family heritage or something you alone have."

"Well....I wouldn't know...from what I remember of my parents, they didn't have this sort of speed..." He munched thoughtfully, moving a little when Shadow sat down so that he'd have to reach over his shoulder to get a hold of the baked good.

Shadow titled his head a little to the side in confusion; that meant that Sonic's parents had died or abandoned him because of his diversity. Still, he wouldn't inquire. It was not his business after all.

"What are you plotting...?" Sonic peered at him, keeping the food well in his grip and protected.

"Nothing, Sonic. Nothing at all."

"I don't know if I believe you...." Sonic turned slowly, finally sitting fully in front of the table again, but with wary eyes on the hedgehog. "You like to try and catch me off guard too much...."

"Yes, but not now. This is not the right time." He answered with a strange glint in his eyes that could have been mischievousness.

Sonic leaned backwards a little, "What are you talking about.....?" He muttered, eyes held on his.

"You'll know about it when the time comes." He said grinning like his usual.

Now curiosity pulled him forward, and he gazed questioningly. "And when the time supposed to be?"

"I don't know, but I'll know that it's the right time when it comes."

Sonic sat back, blinking down at his food in thought. "Alright....when do you think it might come then?"

The black hedgehog shrugged, "It may come today, maybe tomorrow or next week. Who knows..."

Sonic grimaced. "You mean I have to wait THAT long to find out? How come it can't come now?" He took another bite, pouting. "Waiting sucks."

The black hedgehog leaned on the table with his left elbow and placed his head over his hand to support it, "It also depends on you, luck and quiet."

Sonic tilted his head. "Why?" He was busily trying to come up with something that fit into all those categories. The best he could come up with was gambling, but Shadow didn't even know about the casino back home, and probably didn't understand betting either.

Shadow half successfully suppressed a snicker, "Because yes."

Sonic glared. "Why are you laughing at me...?" He lowered his head so as to be eye level with Shadow completely. "What's so funny?"

"Oh, nothing, Sonic. Nothing at all." He said getting up and starting to clear the table, "I'm just happy."

"When you're happy, it usually means I'm pinned under you, or about to be..." Sonic edged away silently. "I'm watching you." And indeed he was, for he had no intention of letting Shadow jump him again like earlier. Much as we loved the attention, the dark hedgehog needed to learn a little self restraint.

"I'm not doing nothing but clearing the table, Sonic..." He said faking to be offended.

"Maybe not YET...." Sonic grumbled, easing a little, but not by much.

Shadow snickered, "Don't worry about that. Whenever you're looking or not, I'll always be able to get you by surprise."

"Uh huh..." Sonic's eyes stayed on him, obviously challenging him to just try. The hero was ready.

The black hedgehog shrugged and took his plate to the sink, "Relax, Sonic. You like that, right? Your body told me."

"My body isn't the one in charge in here, thank you." Sonic grumbled, picking up the last of the dishes and following, quickly finishing off his breadcake first though. "So whatever schemes you've got in that head of yours need to be trashed."

"Why you refuse so much? You LOVED every second of it, right?"

"It's my role in the relationship. Plus, do you think that being chased by the most evil, sinister, and unrelenting bad guys in the world really makes a good time and place for us to....oh what was the word you used..." Sonic pondered for a moment. "Oh yeah. 'Play?'"

Shadow's ears folded and he turned around, regarding the sink and the plates in it, "Then you have better things to do than stay with me?"

Sonic looked taken aback. "No! I mean, there's nothing better. I'm just say if you're in a forest with guys with guns all around you, is it really the smartest thing to do if you decide to just make-out instead of run?"

"Do you see any soldiers here?" He asked, ears lifting in relief.

"Well..." Sonic faltered. "No........."

The dark one nodded, "And we can't go out, right?"

Sonic looked down, brow furrowed. "Right...." Shadow was hinting at something, and Sonic could tell he was plotting again...

The red streaked hedgehog turned around and leaned on the sink, his arms crossed over his torso, "Then why not spend as better as we can? Maybe there will not be another chance like this..." He said glancing away.

"Chance like what?" Sonic moved so he was looking Shadow in the face. "For what?"

Shadow turned away and looked down in the sink, "When GUN will strike back, they might achieve what they want, and I want to enjoy every moment I pass with you. Be the teasing or be just hanging around like now.... I like you Sonic. You mean everything to me. More than Maria was, and if they take me back to my frozen prison, I want at least to take with me the memory of the time I spent with you."

Sonic blinked, then slipped his arms around Shadow's chest, hugging him from behind. "We've talked about this before, but since you lost your memory, and still haven't gotten it all, I'll say it again." His arms tightened.

"They're not taking you back. Not now, not ever."

"Promise me.... I don't want to be frozen again and lose you in the process.... I want to stay with you and only you."

"I promise." Sonic answered. "Don't worry Shadow, we've beat worse odds before. And when we blow their cover, everyone will know the horrors they've done to you...." He smiled. "And you won't ever have to worry about them again..."

The dark creature nodded, then he turned around and hugged back, "Sonic?"

Sonic looked up, wondering, but strangely comfortable in Shadow's arms, like they fit together. Of course, he knew that before. It was nice feeling it though.

"Yeah?"

"What's called this feeling I have in me? I feel it only when I'm with you. Be in company or alone..."

Sonic laughed, and kissed the other gently, pulling back a second later. "I guess I never actually told you straight out. Amy's said it enough times though...." He smiled. "It's what happens when you before a couple. It's called love."

Shadow took a few seconds to think about it, then he smiled brightly at Sonic, "Love. Yes. Yes. Love. This is what I feel for you. Love. I can vaguely remember that I felt this before."

Sonic's smile grew. "I know..." He nuzzled into the crook of Shadow's neck. "The kissing and all. That's what people who're in love do. So I could already tell. I love you too..."

The black hedgehog stood back and looked right into Sonic's eyes, "I know."

Sonic titled his head to the side thinking. Then a sly grin crept across his face. "So...what was this time you were talking about earlier...that would only come with luck and such...?"

"What are you thinking now?" He asked raising an eyebrow at him.

"I'm thinking a lot of things...." Sonic came forward, wrapping his arms around Shadow's neck this time. "...mostly about you..."

Shadow's smile became a grin, "Ohhh... So now you changed idea?"

Sonic returned it. "Nothing's changed...I was just taking into consideration how scarred for life Knuckles would be if he walked in on us in here before, and how he'd gut us later."

The dark hedgehog placed his forehead on the other's, "You know... there's still our room..." He whispered.

He pressed his own against his black and red companion's, "If you can beat me there, without Chaos Controlling, I'm all yours...." And with that, he was out of Shadow's arms, and gone.

"Damn!" Shadow muttered running after the blue hedgehog and catching him on the door, "I'm not going to lose this!" He growled playfully, carefully pushing Sonic away from the door and sprinting for the entrance.

Sonic was up in a flash, and dashed after Shadow, vaulting over his opponent's shoulders and right in front of the door. "Hah! I won!!!" He shouted, reaching for the doorknob, and laughing in his victory.

The black hedgehog snapped his fingers, "Damn..." He muttered watching as his companion opened the door and walked inside.

He walked in too and then closed the door, then locked it so nobody would barge in, "So, what you plan to do now that you won?"

"Hmm..." Sonic sat on the bed. "Not sure, really..." He grinned. "Didn't think I'd make it this far..."

Shadow rolled his eyes and sat next to him, then he grabbed his wrists and pulled him as close as possible, "Then, what about me pinning you down?"

"Aw.. you would've done that anyway..." The blue hedgehog touched his nose to his comrade's. "But why not? That's where this usually begins anyway..."

The black one threw Sonic on the bed, careful that his head would connect with the pillow, then he straddled him and pinned his wrists over his head; when he was done, he leaned in, a breath away from the other's lips, "So you LIKE to be pinned by me, uh?" He said grinning.

Sonic kissed him quickly. "So my squirming ploy threw you off, did it?" A flash of white teeth, as the hero beamed.

"You won't be able to do that again."

"What makes you so sure?" Sonic teased, brushing his lips against those of the hedgehog above him. "You may be 'in control' but I still know more than you do..."

Shadow stood back up and released the blue hedgehog's wrists, "What you mean?"

"You're talking to the one who taught you what a kiss was, remember?" Sonic sat up with him, blinking. "Why? What's wrong?"

The black hedgehog grinned, "I'm just a little naive here... all I do is just tease you. But if you tell me that there's more... well, why don't you show me?"

Sonic titled his head, then smiled. "First off, I doubt the relationship is quite ready for that sort of step...." He kissed Shadow gently. "And second, I think we're doing fine for now...after all, we have a long while before he have to actually worry about the next step..."

He deepened the next connection of their lips, his arms slipping around the back of the other furry's chest.

Shadow placed a hand on the blue hedgehog's chest and stopped him, "There's a 'next step'? What is it?" He asked as soon as his lips where free.

"You're seriously getting ahead of yourself, Shadow..." Sonic blinked, a little put out.

"But yeah, there's more than just kissing and such."

"Really? Then why we're not ready for that?"

"Because there's a sort of timing thing about relationships.. you can't rush these things, Shadow." Sonic leaned against the dark hedgehog, sighing. "It's another one of those things you've got to...kind of wait for. You know, build up to. You don't just kiss someone right away when you meet them...and you don't take the relationship farther after just a night and morning of kissing."

The black hedgehog nodded, then he looked down, locking his ruby eyes with the emerald ones of Sonic, "Then, I guess that I'll have to just stick on teasing you. Right?" He asked grinning widely.

"For now anyway..." Sonic whispered, nuzzling Shadow's chest and laying a kiss or two on the snow-white fur standing out against the rest of the body.

"You like it, uh?"

"If I said no, would you believe me..?" Sonic pressed his mouth against Shadow's, smiling.

The only thing that Shadow could say was a low muffled no, then he stopped Sonic again, "Would you like to shift positions? Today I'm feeling generous." He said grinning.

"How about..." Sonic gently pulled the darker hedgehog down onto the bed with him, not on top, but beside him. "Like this...?"

The dark one was perplexed, "No one's pinning, so no teasing, which I love..."

And Sonic laughed under his breath, moving closely so that his lips brushed Shadow's. "Now...when did I say there wouldn't be teasing..?"

"But..."

"There doesn't have to be a dominant one every second, Shadow." The hero's lips traveled away from the other furry's mouth, down to his throat, kissing there gently. "Relax, you act like we can't kiss without one of us sitting on top of the other..."

Shadow shuddered at the kiss, "W-well... I like when I'm on top with you immobilized..."

"And I find...that I like having you like this..." Sonic nuzzled deeper into his throat, "But if you like it so much, go on and take control.. I don't mind..." Teeth sunk gently into his 'victim's' throat, never piercing the skin, but enough to be noticed.

The black one let loose a quick gasp, "Who said... that I was going to take over again? I like to tease, but I also like to be teased, so give your best, Sonic."

"I plan to..." Sonic's voice had gone husky, and his arms slipped around Shadow's waist, pulling him closer, pressing his lips against the wet fur along the other's neck, mouth moving in a dance not even it's owner had known existed.

Shadow moaned softly as he was pressed to the other hedgehog and as his neck was teased; he forced his left arm into movement and he rounded Sonic's waist, gripping it like a lifebelt.

Sonic growled, and nibbled his way to the front of Shadow's throat, nipping in earnest at the skin beneath the dark pelt. He held the other tighter, trying to subdue him, but at the same time, holding back so as to not.

The black hedgehog could do nothing but throw his head backwards to expose more of his throat and released a muffled moan.

Pleased with that response, Sonic tugged the black and scarlet body closer, a low rumble echoing through his chest as he explored the new found territory, enjoying every sound Shadow uttered.

Shadow's mind was in a hazed state; he could think only about what was happening to him and who was doing it. He tried to get closer and ended up intertwining his legs with the other's as his left hand went up to mingle in the blue hedgehog's head quills, caressing there.

Sonic grinned, lowering his attack, feeling very self-satisfied in Shadow's reactions. His hands slowly began to wander along the lean form beside him, engrossed in the sounds and shudders, eager to dance along the slight curves.

Suddenly, he could see why Shadow enjoyed this so much....

The black hedgehog mumbled something to Sonic, too deep in the pleasure to be able to form something coherent, and tried to get as close to the blue hedgehog's body as he could.

As soon as he heard the slurred, half-silent words, he pulled back from the other's neck, blinking, attempting to understand what his partner had said. "What was that, Shadow?"

"Nothing... keep going..." He mumbled out.

"No.." Sonic kissed his victim's mouth gently. "I want to know what you said. I have to repeat myself, so do you."

Shadow smiled and moved his head to look into Sonic's emerald eyes, "I said 'Damn... heaven'. Yes, you makes me feel in heaven."

The hero's face tilted away from the pillow, and he looked thoughtfully into the deep rubies. "I'm doing this right, then, am I?" He leaned in and kissed him quickly again, tempted to not pull away, but doing so just the same. "Nice to know...."

The dark one snickered, "Yes, but I'm a better teaser."

"Oh really...?" Sonic propped his head up with one hand, the other lingering on his bedmate's side, running through the fur. "I'm afraid I'm not going to believe that claim....without a proper demonstration...." He kissed the black furry's nose. "Or in layman's terms...prove it."

"Every time I pin you down, you can't do anything and you always end agreeing with me, in a way or in another." He said grinning mischievously.

"Actions speak louder than words, Shadow..." He was nuzzling his cheek against the other's. "And you were pretty loud a second ago..."

"Loud or not, I think I'm still the better teaser between the two of us."

"You think?" Sonic pulled away to gaze at the darker hedgehog. "Thinking isn't going to make me take your word for it..."

The black hedgehog quickly straddled Sonic, "Then shove me what teaser you are, and I might change idea." He said lowering his head so his lips brushed the other's.

"Until then, I'm the better."

"Proving myself is a little hard when you're sitting on top of me.." Sonic grumbled, shifting beneath his captor.

"I didn't say that I would let you do things easily..." He answered in whisper.

Sonic's eyes narrowed, and he leaned up, obvious goal: the other's mouth. "You're just afraid that I'll beat you at your own game..." He growled in return.

"I'm not afraid of that, I just like to makes things... a little hard. That's all" He said grinning.

"Translation: you like to cheat." Sonic flopped back onto the bed, unable to sit up enough to reach his desire.

The dark one leaned down so his mouth was just an inch away, "To makes things hard it's no cheating. Just a little more challenging."

"I didn't sit on you." Sonic grinned and stole a quick kiss. "And besides, I've already proved myself. You're just scared to try and top me."

"Admit it, Sonic, I'm the best teaser whenever I pin you down."

"When you pin me down. Key words Shads." Sonic grinned. "Which means that if you weren't sitting on top of me, I'd be the better, not the other way around." He stuck his tongue out at the ebony and crimson hedgehog above him.

"Yet you can never pin me down..." He countered diving with his lips for Sonic's tongue.

Sonic gave a loud gasp and fell back onto the pillow, startled when Shadow's lips suddenly connected with him. An almost immediate moan escaped from the back of his throat, and he struggled to refocus.

The dark hedgehog's lips fully connected with Sonic's, his tongue still captive in his soft grip, suckling at it, taunting it, playing with it.

And the sapphire hedgehog, still caught in shock, and the heat of the moment, twisted weakly, his hands trying to move to push Shadow away. Instead, he found himself pressing closer, trying to get more of the feeling, of the taste.

Shadow grinned and pressed his tongue to the other's mouth, trying to part his lips and gain access; his hands captured the other's wrists and pinned them to either side of the blue hedgehog's head.

Sonic felt the pry for entrance to his own mouth, and at first refused bluntly, until he felt his arms moving, or rather being moved, above his head. The position seemed familiar and he squirmed for a short while, before he accidentally parted his lips while still against Shadow's.

The black creature took advantage of that and started slowly exploring every crevice of Sonic's mouth with a passion that he could find only when with him.

A soft moan rose up from the hero. Feeling trapped, and defenseless, he tugged defiantly at his captured arms, and tried to scoot to the side to get away from the sudden heat fogging the brunt of his thought process. The invasion taking place however was somewhat attention grabbing, and as vigorously as he tried to escape, he couldn't help pressing forward.

Eager, wanting more.

Shadow pressed back, countering the blue hedgehog's own pressing and started playing with his tongue, teasing it as much as he could.

Whimpers of half-silent resistance, and yet sounds of longing pleasure, echoed in the air between the two, Sonic moving his mouth against Shadow's, tasting the sharp flavor, and trying to get closer, gain more control of the situation.

The black creature suddenly drew back and gazed at Sonic, "So, am I a better taunter than you or not?"

The captive tried to answer, but found his mouth was still longing for more of the warm raid he'd been experiencing seconds before, and his mind was too busy trying to regain full use of itself to form a reply. The best he managed was a quiet, begging whine.

The dark one snickered, "I'm not doing anything until you say something."

Another whine, and Sonic tried hard to force his voice to work properly. When it failed, he heaved a loud sigh, resigning himself to simply wait for his mind to clear, vengeful that Shadow was refusing to continue.

"Told you that I was better, you can't even talk..." He said lowering his head again, a few inches away from Sonic's

The azure furry let loose a pleased purr, bringing his head up and happily finding he was close enough to Shadow to nuzzle into the soft chest fur, pressing his lips to the skin beneath, intoxicated, trying to goad Shadow into another kiss.

Shadow snickered again, "Ok, ok... with the next kiss, you confirm that I'm the best taunter. You don't... no kiss." He said leaning down enough for the blue hedgehog to reach his mouth.

Sonic paused for a moment, but the desire for Shadow's taste was far more than that to be the better one when it came to this part of the relationship. He pressed his mouth to the other's in earnest.

The black hedgehog chuckled in the kiss and opened his mouth, gently biting down the other's lips as his eyes automatically closed.

His captive growled and pushed upward, wanting the kiss to pick up where the other had left off, impatient.

And Shadow complied, licking the other's lips to gain again the access to his companion's mouth.

Sonic eagerly allowed the entrance, leaning upwards to try and press himself against the dark hedgehog, moaning.

The black one pushed down so he was pinning the blue hedgehog's head to the pillow, giving him no room at all to move or counter with his own moves.

He exhaled in surprise, losing all of his held breath, his chest starting to ache almost as the onslaught began again. Soft mewls broke though the connection of lips, Sonic's mind already spinning off into oblivion again.

He started slowly mapping out the azure one's mouth with his tongue once again, pleased on hearing the moans and mewls coming from him.

He was so focusing on the kiss that his grip slowly started to slacken...

The moment the weakness became noticeable, one of the azure hero's arms broke free, and slithered up around to the back of Shadow's neck, pulling him closer, pushing himself against the other hedgehog at the same time.

The black one gave a startled muffled gasp of surprise and lost the concentration of the kiss, ending up to lay completely over his companion.

Sonic's instinct took hold, and he took advantage, the other arm curling around his captive's waist, his mouth beginning to work, pleased to find Shadow's lips still parted, and sank into another heat-filled kiss, rejoicing in the delicious flavor he was discovering inside the moist cavern.

Shadow gave out a few muffled protest upon loosing his predominance, but it was too late as his mind was too hazed and pleased to regain the control.

And Sonic was too busy testing the sensitivity of the new territory to pay any heed to his partner's want for control. The hand which had freed itself first traveled up from the back of the neck to the side of Shadow's head, pulling him closer, and farther under Sonic's woven spell.

He was loving this already. He began to deepen his movements more, running his tongue along each surface, testing everything to see how Shadow would react.

The black one intercepted the invading tongue with his own and tried to stop it, make it go back and retake the control; all this while his body went completely slack 'under' the grasp of Sonic's arms.

Sonic simply twined around the resistance, running along it, tasting it, and finally leading it out so that he caught it, paying Shadow back for his earlier devilry. His hand, the one that had held Shadow's waist, began to gently stroke his caught partner's lower back, creeping around to his stomach and waist.

Shadow could do nothing but moan out his pleasure mixed with protest; after all, he was the one on top, thus he was the one supposed to taunt. Not be taunted...

Of course, it was too late to try and stop Sonic now. He was far too incited by the feel of Shadow's rumbling and his shudders. It was addicted, and his hold tightened, pressing their bodies closer together and growling possessively.

This was new to him; he would have never imagined that the blue hedgehog could get so... so like that.

Shadow moaned out something else and stood on his fours to try to separate his mouth from the other to regain some power back...

Sonic felt Shadow trying to escape and pulled him back down, his growls loud, almost angry. He reclaimed the dark furry's mouth insistently.

With a moaned growl, he sprung to the left, trying to roll away from the blue hedgehog's predominance.

Shocked back into his senses, Sonic released his hold on the jet-black creature, pushing himself up, to stare hazily after his escaped victim.

The black hedgehog laid on Sonic's side on his back, still to too dazed to move and retake control; his breathing was deep and his heartbeat was quick.

So, taking the offered advantage, Sonic rolled over and practically pounced his shade-colored bedmate and forced him down against the bed, grinning wickedly. The he lowered enough so that warm air brushed over the panting lips, the thrill of something akin to hunting Shadow rising in him.

Shadow found himself to be pinned to the bed with both his torso and arms under the blue hedgehog, "What... are you planning there?" He asked once he had regained his breath back, "This is my pinning method..."

However, he could do nothing but be in Sonic's mercy as he had no energy to throw the other hedgehog off him.

Sonic didn't answer, instead brushing his lips over his captive's, shivering in anticipation. He wanted to keep Shadow here, and never let him move or resist. The hero suddenly understood why Shadow was so fond of keeping him pinned and helpless. His partner looked delightful this way.

The dark creature tried to squirm his way out, "Do you see now why I like to pin you down so much?"

"Of course..." His first words since the challenge of who could tease better, hands already started to wander to Shadow's stomach again, pleased with the defiance. "I think I may do this to you more often...." He caught the other's lips in a chaste movement.

Shadow twisted his head, so his mouth was free once again, "First, you'll have to catch me off guard, but it'll be impossible for you." He said looking back at Sonic, "Because I can't be sneaked on."

"I beg to differ." He seemed to pout almost. "I caught you off guard only moments ago. And right now...." He leaned in again, another shudder running through him in earnest. "...you're all mine."

"This will be the first and last time you'll catch me off guard, but... now it's too late to complain being your captive... right?"

"Exactly...." He pulled Shadow's head upwards, so that he was just brushing the taste-filled lips again. "All mine..." He chanted quietly.

"I was always yours, Sonic. Nobody's but yours. And I will be forever."

"Good..." Sonic caught his lips, a soft purr resonating through him. "I don't want anyone else to know how good you taste...they might make me share..."

Shadow felt his mind start to haze again, "I.... won't let anyone else.... do this with me...." He mumbled out.

He was too preoccupied with reclaiming Shadow's mouth to reply now, treating himself on the delicious lips and begging for entry back to the still inviting darkness.

The dark creature's head flopped back on the pillow, opening obediently his mouth for the other hedgehog's tongue to slip back in; he was slightly uncomfortable being under, but he started to gradually accept it with a small muffled moan.

Sonic's hand gripping the back of Shadow's neck, his thumb moving over the sensitive skin and the other one wandered about his lower torso, stroking different parts of the chest and stomach to locate the best sounds, as Sonic began to greedily replunder Shadow's opened mouth.

The black hedgehog's eyes closed as he abandoned himself into the hands of Sonic, moaning softly as the blue hedgehog's thumb caressed the back of his neck and as his torso slightly arched upwards, trying to press itself to the other's.

Sonic pinned him down more forcibly, growling in a heated protest, warning his captive with action and sound that he was in charge here.

The black one tried to counter the actions, his legs folding and slightly pushing to do something, anything.

Another rumbling growl, and Sonic's hand pressed hard against the other's stomach, pushing deeper into the kiss as he did so.

Shadow moaned a protest and tried to counter the kiss, snaking his tongue into the other's mouth to try to regain some dominance while his legs kept on trying to find a way out from being dominated.

The cerulean hedgehog gasped heatedly, breaking the kiss for a moment, and his hands stilling in shock, having not expected another attack.

The dark one grinned, "I see that I can still surprise you, eh?"

"First and last time for this kiss..." Sonic's hands restarted their voyage, this time snaking over the lowest part of Shadow's stomach, Sonic's mouth remaining a hair breath away from that of the hedgehog's under him.

The ebony hedgehog's eyes widened and he arched his back, throwing his head back and letting out a startled yet very pleased moan; his body trembled wildly under the other's hands and his legs fell back to the bed, devoid of energies.

"I thought so..." His hands went a little higher, back to playing with his partner's upper chest. Sonic made a few small kisses along the black furred throat, revealing in how he'd forced the other into submission. "I told you....you're all mine..."

Shadow obediently exposed his throat to the blue creature, submitting completely to him; as much as he wanted to regain dominance, he couldn't do anything but be in his partner's mercy.

And Sonic was too happy to comply. He was already nibbling his way down to the other's chest, debating whether or not to play there, or travel back to Shadow's mouth, or maybe even to incite another of those rather enjoyable moans by playing with his lower stomach again. Before he could decide however, he heard a sharp knocking.

"Sonic! Shadow! Quit fooling around in there and get out! We have to leave! NOW!"

Shadow let his head sink into the pillow, letting out an angry growl; why everyone always interrupted their fun? What was that? A marathon to see who could interrupt them the most?

Well, for sure at the moment Knuckles held the first place...

Another sharp knock. "I MEAN it Sonic! Amy's gotten out, and you'll just love this part....she's contacted Robotnik!"

That got Sonic out of it, his eyes immediately switching for a mischievous emerald, to a serious, yet frightened green. His head snapped to the door and he rolled off of Shadow's prone form, stumbling to the floor.

"We'll be out in a second...!!" He called back.

Upon seeing Sonic like that, the black hedgehog sat up, "What's up, Sonic? Amy couldn't have contacted my creator. He died.... fifty years ago. Right?" He asked, frightened that he would have to go back on ARK and resume his old life without tasteful meals and, especially, Sonic.

"Yeah, but that's not the Robotnik we're worrying about right now..." The blue hedgehog was searching the foot of the bed, realizing they'd unknowingly kicked off their shoes at some point. 'Maybe it is a good thing we got interrupted....'

Shadow stood up and looked for his shoes too and founding one near a corner, "Then what Robotnik is?"

"It's Ivo Robotnik. He's bad news.....aha!! No wait...this one's yours...." He tossed it to him. "There they are!!! .....how'd they get way over here...?"

The black hedgehog caught his shoe in mid air and, since they were slip-ons secured with the golden bands that never left his legs, he put them back on easily and quickly.

"Ivo...? Ah! Yes! Gerald's grandson and Maria's cousin! I remember having heard of him before."

Sonic was still pulling on his own shoes. "He's THAT old? I figured he was only forty something....he looks good for his age, but that's the only compliment he'll be getting from this hedgehog...." He stood and snuggled his feet down into the footwear.

"Well, I heard Gerald talking about it as a little baby..."

"Hmph. Still doesn't look fifty." He tried to adjust his shoes a little more, but gave up. "C'mon, we better get moving before Knux breaks the door down and drags us by our ears to get out of here."

The dark one sighed, "You're right. Lead the way."

Sonic quickly unlocked the door, and stepped outside, looking both ways before fully emerging.

"This way, hedgehog." Knuckles growled, then headed the opposite way from the exits. "We'll take the leftover pods out, those foot soldiers won't get past the traps. Of course, Shadow's little friend is on it's way too." Then he was gone.

The black hedgehog looked at his partner, "My... little friend? Do I have a little friend?"

"The thing that was chasing you before. The yellow eyes, nameless, shapeless whacha-mah-callit." Sonic growled, setting off after Knuckles. "He's crazy, I swear. All the traps are still active.....how good can you duck and weave?"

Shadow felt a really cold chill run down his spine; those yellow eyes, the darkness... he could remember them perfectly.

Not wanting to stay any longer, he jumped into a run, grabbed Sonic by his right wrist and ran as fast as he could after the echidna with a racing heart for fear.

"Gah!! Shadow, slow down!!!" Sonic had never thought those words would pass his lips, but they did. He couldn't get a grip on Shadow's arm or torso, which meant that if Shadow's grip loosened at all, he was at the mercy of the traps they were already travelling through.

The black hedgehog was too focused and scared to hear him; he couldn't remember why those eyes pursued him, but they terrified him to no end and he needed to run as far away as he could from them.

His grip on Sonic's wrist tightened as much as he could as he accelerated more on his run.

He needed to run away, and there was nothing that could stop him. Much less a bunch of traps in his track.

Sonic let loose a yell, and tried to roll into midair, a fireball also burning him to a crisp. During the next jump, he readjusted himself, and landed close enough so that he could grab him around the shoulders, clinging tightly for dear life, and drawing in his legs.

The minute they were in a clear space, he leapt off and took up Shadow's already set speed.

Shadow's fearful eyes were frantically searching for the exit or some sort of it; he couldn't stay there...

"Shadow, calm down!!!!" Sonic grabbed his partner and practically slammed him against the floor. "You panic, you're gonna burn all your energy and you'll be dead before you can make another mistake."

The black hedgehog turned to face Sonic and tried to push him away, "You don't understand! It wont stop! I have to run away!" He screamed.

"I already know!" Sonic replied, as calmly as he could. "I know, don't worry. But you've GOT to keep your head, or we'll never get through this, okay?"

Shadow nodded, swallowing hard the lump of fear he had in his throat.

"Alright..." Sonic moved away slowly, ready to pin the other down again if he tried to bolt. "Now, we have t catch up to the others, but DON'T lose your head." He shivered as he spoke, suddenly...very cold.

The dark creature started shivering and bolted to his feet, "It's already here! We have to go! We have to run! We can't stay here any longer!!!"

"Shadow! Do. Not! PANIC!!!" Sonic hissed, rubbing his arms, shuddered in discomfort and because of the quickly dropping temperature.

Shadow shivered more, "Can't help! We have to go. NOW!" He almost screamed.

"Shadow, be quie---" He paused, his ears picking up a faint whisper, like crying, but so soft he could barely hear it. ".....what was that...?" He turned around to look for the source.

"It's IT! It's IT! We have to run now! We can't stay here!" He screamed in a whisper trying to drag Sonic away with him.

"That CAN'T be it, Shadow...it sounds like little kids..." Sonic was trying to pry his arm away. "Monsters don't sound like crying kids, they roar and things." The sound was growing closer, and as it did, the metal walls and floor around them began to grow thin sheets of white, ice-like coverings.

"C'mon, we should go help them..." The hero sounded almost...dazed.

The black hedgehog paled, "NO!" He screamed prying the blue hedgehog from his feet and throwing him over his shoulder and running away as fast as he could, panic evident on face.

"Shadow!!!" Sonic yelped, knocked back into his senses, "What the hell are you doing?!"

"RUNNING THE HELL OUT OF HERE!!!!" He screamed as he almost reached the sound speed and thus avoiding all the traps that were too slow to catch him.

The crying sound became soft, slowly leaving Sonic's mind. He felt...dizzy almost, but at least the warmth was returning. His head rung like someone had been using his skull as a bell, and he groaned, everything fading into a misty black.

At the speed he was going, Shadow finally reached a door that emanated a bright white light into the dark tunnel; this made him accelerate more, nearly breaking the sound barrier.

Finally... the exit.


	9. Chapter 9 — Never Wake The Demon Up

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Chapter 9 - Never Wake The Demon Up

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Sonic awoke slowly, his ears still ringing like hell. He didn't want to open his eyes, everything was aching all over, like he'd been run down by a very fast moving vehicle, or something worse. Maybe he'd tripped and fallen into one of Eggman's traps? He didn't remember it but with his head hurting like it did, who knew?

"Gah.... what happened...?"

"You passed out while we were escaping." Knuckles explained, "You should thank Shadow for that. He ran like hell with you on his shoulder. It took me half day to calm him down enough that he wasn't on the edge."

"I.....passed out?" Sonic started to push himself up to a sitting position but ceased when his eyesight more or less exploded into fireworks, and his head began singing a song of pain. "It doesn't.... FEEL like I just fainted.....more like a truck was attracted to me at high speeds....."

"That would do it..." Another voice muttered.

Tails.

"Whatta?" Sonic laid back down, trying to turn his head enough to see his twin-tailed friend. "What'd do what?"

"Stop moving around." Knuckles growled, using one hand to push the hedgehog flat. "You've already practically gotten yourself killed. If what Shadow told us is right, you'd have been a dead rodent if you two had stuck around another few seconds. That.... thing, had you practically hypnotized..."

"Hyp....no....wha?"

"I think it damaged your hearing too..." Knuckles commented with a smug look.

"Hypnotized, Sonic. Shadow told us that you started hearing children's voices. Right?" Tails explained, his patience infinite.

"....yeah...I think so...." He started to lift a hand to his head, but Knuckles batted it away, earning a glare from the blue hero. The Echidna did not flinch, instead returning to peeling and cutting a gnarled root.

"Well, according to Shadow, those were only illusions sent to you by this Foe to keep you there and then kill you easily. If it wasn't for Shadow's panicked status, he wouldn't have grabbed you and ran like that..."

Sonic remained silent, thinking about how he tried to calm Shadow. In the end it was panicking that had saved them both then? He was silent until the root Knuckles had been peeling was dropped onto his chest.

"Eat that. You've damaged your senses badly enough as it is." Sonic looked skeptically at the scarlet Guardian, but moved to grasp and nibble the herb anyway, abruptly bulking at the bitter taste.

Tails sighed, then looked at the echidna, "Knuckles? Would you like to try to calm Shadow? I tried, but he keeps on shaking and walking up and down the corridor... and it has already been a long day..."

"Will do..." Knuckles grunted, standing. He glared down at Sonic. "You get some rest." Then he disappeared. The sapphire hedgehog immediately looked to the young foxling.

"Can I see him?"

"No Sonic. You're in no condition to face Shadow right now."

"Why not?" Sonic whined, grimacing as he took another bite, wanting with all that was in him to spit the awful tasting thing out. "I mean, I owe him my life. Might as well say thanks. It's not like we're gonna DO anything, Tails..."

"You should wait till he has calmed down. Paranoia is not a good thing to deal with... ESPECIALLY in your condition..."

"I'm not paranoid..." Sonic grumbled, feigning a rough ignorance.

"I'm not talking about you, Sonic...."

"Well....Knux is calming him down right now, right? So I CAN see him...." Sonic finished off the root finally, feeling sick to his stomach.

"I'm not that sure. Shadow has been unhinged all day by now, and this is his third try..."

"Well....maybe he'll calm down when he's seen me?" Sonic tried again, feeling very tired all of a sudden. "Crud...I knew it. He gave me something that'll make....me sleep...."

"Don't worry about it. In a way or in another, Knuckles will calm Shadow down."

"By...giving him drugs too...I presume...?" Sonic blinked lazily, yawning.

"Maybe, but it's always better than have a paranoid black hedgehog walk up and down the corridor..."

-----

Knuckles would have agreed with that logic entirely; in fact, he might have turned it into a religion, the way things were going. Said 'paranoid hedgehog' was currently grinding his nerves with his pacing, and wild-eyed look.

"Shadow, I told you, he's awake now. You don't have to worry about him. He's fine."

"He's fine. Yes. Yes. But it will come back. It won't stop. I have to run away.... why do you keep me locked in here?!?" Shadow asked glancing at the only way out of the corridor he was currently in, which was blocked by an enormous rock.

Chaos Control was out of the question; he was too troubled to find the concentration to pull that off.

"Shadow. Calm. Down." Knuckles growled. "It has no idea where we are right now, and Amy doesn't either. We made sure of that already." He grabbed the hedgehog's shoulders. "And if you DON'T calm down, you'll end up upsetting Sonic when he's well enough to let you visit him. He's in a bad enough state right now. Do you want to jeopardize him?"

Ruby eyes full of terror locked on Knuckles' own, "You don't understand... IT ALWAYS comes back! No matter where I hide! It always knows where I am. In a way or in another it will be back to finish its work! And the only thing I can do is to run!" He almost screamed.

"And if you run, it will ALSO put Sonic's life in danger, have you thought about that?!" Knuckles forced his voice down. "Do you want him to nearly kill himself worrying over you again? The first few times have been hard enough on him, and with his body and mind as frail as it is right now, just hearing you SOUND like you're scared could make him snap. Do you want him to die?"

The black hedgehog shook his head, "Then I'll take him with me as soon as he's back to full health, and then we'll run away as far as possible."

Knuckles gave him a droll look. "He won't be ready for that kind of travel for a few days at least, Shadow. Longer if you doing anything to upset him. Whatever that thing did to him could've been worse, I'm sure, but right now it's almost more than just my knowledge of herbs and Tails' of more modern medicines can cure."

"He's going to NEED you as his crutch for a while, even if he doesn't admit it."

"Then what about it? It'll come back! I can feel it! He's playing with me! And as soon as I relax, it'll strike back!"

"Then don't relax! But don't flinch every time someone talks to you!" Knuckles was becoming impatient. "We're all worried right now, but we can't have a negative feel around Sonic, or he'll stop trying to get better. People have been known to give life up easily, Shadow, and as stubborn as the little blue beast, he's not going to recover fully, mentally AND physically, if he doesn't think he can."

"How I can do that? How I can smile when I'm so scared? I can't even rest..." He said quietly.

"You don't have to be scared for now, Shadow. For now, I suggest you be more angry than afraid. Anger fades away more quickly. Fear likes to hide and return."

"I can't... I can't.... You haven't seen those yellow eyes, and that pitch darkness. You didn't!"

"Shadow....I hate to do this...." Knuckles sighed, his hand coming up and running through his quills. "But if you won't willingly sit down and rest a while...."

"I can't rest! It will come back AND it will find me unprepared!" Shadow said resuming his pacing trying to calm down his already fried nerves.

So Knuckles made his decision quickly, and made a fluid grab for the hedgehog. If he could pin him down long enough to hit a pressure point, he could set the hedgehog down for a nap, near Sonic even, since the dark creature seemed far calmer and more rational when Sonic was present, or even mentioned.

The ebony hedgehog felt his fur stand on end and ducked to avoid being grabbed; he rolled a few feet away and turned to face the Guardian, fur still on end, "What are you trying to do?!" He asked preparing to avoid another grab or to attack if necessary.

He couldn't permit himself to sleep. Not now. Not when that thing was looking for him.

"I'm going to put you down for a while." Knuckles growled, lunging for the hedgehog again, "When you wake up, I hoping you'll be a lot more cooperative."

Shadow crouched down on all his four, then jumped and twisted in mid air, surpassing the charging echidna over his head and landing several feet behind him still crouched and raised his quills.

"No." He growled narrowing his eyes, "I can't sleep! It will come while I sleep! I won't be able to protect Sonic, nor run away..."

The Guardian jammed a fist into the ground and used it to make a quick change in direction, vaulting himself after the hedgehog again, this time grazing him just barely on the jaw with an outstretched fist.

"You'll be in no condition to protect anyone, Sonic or yourself, if you wear yourself out with paranoia!"

The black hedgehog jumped backwards, regaining distance from Knuckles, "No... You don't understand! You haven't seen that thing! You won't understand until you see it! And I pry with all myself that you WILL NEVER see it."

"I don't have to see it so know well enough just how dangerous it is!" He skidded to a stop, fangs showing in an angry snarl. "Look what it did to Sonic! If you're half-dead from exhaustion when it DOES come, how much better do you think you'll fare?!"

Shadow showed his teeth too, "I'll manage!"

"Manage?!" Knuckles dove again, catching one arm and shoving the dark furry back. "You'll manage to get yourself in the same fix Sonic had to get you out of! And he WON'T be here to save you again, Shadow!"

Shadow's free hand grabbed the Guardian's throat and started pushing away, "I won't die that easily. Not now that I have to care for Sonic!"

Instinct made the echidna jerk backwards, out of Shadow's grip, and in doing so, releasing the captive arm. "And when you're malnourished and can barely keep your own two feet under you again?! How are you going to take care of Sonic if you can barely keep yourself safe?!"

"I was created to function for days even without food and little water." He countered.

"Sonic, however, wasn't!" Knuckles landed a shot directly in the middle of Shadow's chest, sending the hedgehog back a few feet. "I'll be the first to admit that Sonic can improvise nicely when he has to, but he wouldn't survive sudden travel on less to no nutrition!"

"I never said that he won't be eating." He answered back crouching to the stone floor with a hand to his chest, "He can rest as much as he wants. But I can't. It will come back for me, and I have to be prepared to lead it away, giving you all enough time to escape."

"Do you think Sonic will eat and rest when you refuse to?!" Knuckles growled, fists at the ready. "He'll be as stubborn as you. It's his nature."

"Leave me be, Red One. I do not want to sleep." He growled threateningly.

"Too bad. You need it just as much as Sonic does." Knuckles braced himself to tackle the hedgehog. "More, if you don't calm down soon..."

Shadow growled and crouched on his fours again, "I can't calm down! Not after I felt its presence again! I can feel it still surrounding my soul!"

"Which is WHY you need to sleep!" Knuckles lunged, going for a direct tackle, "You can't heal yourself as quickly while you're awake! Sleeping is the best way to rejuvenate yourself quickly!"

"I can't sleep if I see it in my dreams! It'll be like I see it in the real world! I won't be able to rest if I see it!" He countered starting to move sideways so the echidna would miss him again.

Of course, Knuckles had expected the dodge and had already adjusted his direction to grab the hedgehog and knock him to the floor. "If you don't sleep, however, it'll be far worse!"

The dark creature was unprepared for that move and found himself being pinned to the floor by the Guardian, "I. Won't. Sleep! Not NOW!"

"How are you going to stop me if you can't move?" Knuckles was calming down a little now, less stressed since the hedgehog wasn't pacing and hissing.

Shadow growled again and head butted the echidna in the forehead, "Like this."

Knuckles fell back, a surprised growl rumbling in his chest as he held his head. "Dammit Shadow, you're worse than Sonic!"

The black furry shakily stood up, "Told you that I won't stop easily..."

His scarlet opponent rubbed his forehead, still grumbling. "I should've known..." He crouched in a flash and sprung into Shadow, moving around the dark hedgehog and hitting him square in the back. "But neither will I!"

Shadow's energy seeped away and he stumbled onwards, but managed to stay up with the help of the wall, "Damn you!" He said shaking away the effects of the blow and slowly regaining his energies back.

Knuckles strode to him, cautious. He didn't want to hurt the hedgehog anymore than he had to. "You could've made this a LOT easier on yourself."

The black creature swung around and, with a Chaos Energy charged index finger, slightly cut the Guardian's muzzle, "And you should know that I don't like to be pissed off." He snarled.

Knuckles drew back immediately, wiping the blood away. He braced his feet, a small strike of something akin to fear striking the back of his mind. Shadow almost sounded like he had before his memory loss...if he had regained his madness, they were in trouble. Sonic was already unconscious from the root by now, if Tails had made him eat it.

Shadow stood away from the wall and made to reach the echidna; however, after just a step, he sighed and collapsed to the ground, eyes half open in a desperate attempt to stay awake.

"So... sorry... didn't... my body moved on it's own...." he muttered still trying to not fall asleep.

Knuckles gently pulled the hedgehog to his feet, guiding him back toward the room Sonic was in. He looked like he was going to pass out on his feet, so the Guardian decided he might as well make sure there was something better for him to wake up to.

"Can't sleep... now... It will come back...." He muttered trying to push the red male away, "It'll find me helpless..."

"We'll wake you up long before that." His helper reassured, holding tightly and pushing the door open. "For now, just go to sleep before you pass out and don't wake up for days like Sonic tends to do."

"Everything will be fine when you wake up, you'll see...."

"Are you... sure of this..?"

"I'm fairly sure." Knuckles answered, almost dragging the half-gone hedgehog to Sonic's side on the mat of woven grasses he'd made earlier. The stone floor was soft enough with all its mosses, but that collected dampness too easily.

"I dun wan..."

Shadow never finished his sentence that he went limp still halfway in Knuckles arms.

Knuckles almost dropped the unconscious hedgehog, only just making it to Sonic's side in time to lay his load down. Almost instantly, Sonic shifted to get closer to Shadow, and the crimson furry rolled his eyes, before looking toward the kit on the other side of the snoozing two.

"I told you I'd get him to calm down."

The fox smiled shyly and giggled a little, "Thanks, Knuckles. It scared me to see Shadow like that."

He regarded the sleeping hedgehogs and moved around them, back to the bowl of herbs he'd gathered. "I'm hoping he'll be far more put together when he wakes." He took another root out of the bowl, this one different from the one he gave to Sonic, with a look similar to that of a carrot, but not. "He almost unhinged himself for a while. Sounded like he had before..."

Tails tilted his head a little to the side, "What you mean?"

"That's right.. you weren't there..." Knuckles handed the root to the small kit, then took another for himself. "Shadow, before he lost his memory, was slightly...mad."

"He was triggered into extreme attacks of violence at times...I would think emotion triggered it, but I was only witness to one, or two if you count this time."

The fox was shocked, "You mean... that he's dangerous?"

"We're ALL dangerous, Tails." He took a bite of the root he held, noting that they were a little overripe, but still good. "Shadow just had a tendency to forget who he should and shouldn't be attacking..."

"So, you're saying that if triggered, he slips into madness without even knowing it and he stop reasoning at all?"

"He reasons fairly well." Knuckles chewed the rest of his 'meal' and swallowed. "He stills knows the people he sees, but he sees them all as potential threats, it seemed. Sonic calmed him the first time, and according to Amy, saved her from him twice."

"Do you know how he did it?"

"He refuses to tell me more than that he 'accepted him as he was'...but seeing them like that..." He gestured toward the two. "Gives me a rather good guess at what happened."

The kit's face brightened with knowledge, "Ohhhh... I see."

"See what?" Knuckles raised an eye ridge, fishing around in the bowl. Perhaps he had picked up some fruit while he was out? He couldn't recall...

"Well," Tails started, forgetting the root, "Love is a powerful emotion. You can do everything with it, even kill. It appears that Shadow has found something in Sonic that helps him to keep himself stable. I do not know what, but half of it is it because Shadow LOVES Sonic. If he wouldn't love him, Sonic would be already dead in the first try."

Knuckles considered that, then nodded his own approval of the theory. There was enough evidence for that to be supported quite well. "Then I wish them luck and hope they don't take each other's heads off."

The fox raised an eyebrow, "What you mean with that?"

"Think about it. They're both stubborn as rocks, and they're got the natural speed and energy to back up any challenge either extends. Sooner or later they'll get into a fight over one thing or another, if I've learned anything about people down here."

"Maybe, but if they are as crazy about each other as I think, then they'll stop once one of them is under the other.."

The Guardian chuckled, covering his mouth with one hand, silently agreeing. "At least they haven't gotten to the stage where no one else gets to sleep either. When they get that far, we're going to have to send them away for a while."

"Do you think that's necessary?"

"As loud as they naturally are? Yes." He pulled out another carrot-like root with a sigh, finding no fruit.

"I don't think I have heard them the morning while I slept in the room of that base..."

"First, you were out harder than these two." Knuckles thumbed towards the hedgehogs. "Second, I heard some of it, and that was plenty. They're bad enough now, wait till they REALLY get started."

"Well, you shouldn't complain that much... You have an island floating on the sky where you can go to sleep, while I live with Sonic, and since Shadow has nowhere to go, I'm sure that he'll be invited to stay in our house permanently..."

"You could always kick them out..." Knuckles grumbled, nibbling his food. "Besides, two hedgehogs will mean twice as many bodily injuries, whether accidentally or while fighting against Robotnik. That means I'll be down here even more often helping you pin them both down, because you know they'll help each other get away."

"I don't know about that... Shadow seems more concerned when dealing with wounds."

"Unless they're his own." The Guardian countered, eyes still on the root in his hands.

"However, I'm sure that he'll help you with Sonic."

Knuckles grinned at the thought. "I suppose. He does seem to worry about the little monster a lot..."

"Yeah." Tails agreed biting down the root and gulping down the piece.

"We should both sleep too, soon." Knuckles was pondering the thought. "When the others wake up anyway, and Sonic is feeling better..."

The fox saddened, "Knuckles, what really happened to Sonic?"

"His mind was almost unattached for his body." Knuckles said simply. "That's the best I can give you. I'm not a witch doctor, or of the priest order, like Tikal. Whatever Sonic heard called to him, and when he tried to answer, almost killed him."

"Then why Shadow was unaffected by that?"

"He told us that he knew it was the creature, come after him again, did he not? Perhaps in his panicked state, the sounds he heard frightened him rather than attracting." The Guardian gave a shrug. "I am only making assumptions; I know no more than you do."

"Should we ask him after he wakes up?" The kit asked looking at the black hedgehog sleeping rather peacefully next to Sonic.

"If he is calmer and we are sure he will not begin to panic again, yes." Knuckles finished the root with a sigh. "I do not wish him to be as upset as before. Not with the fragile state they are both in at this time."

Tails tilted his head, "I don't see Shadow in a fragile status... I just saw him paranoid. That's all..."

"I saw him nearly go insane and charge Chaos Energy. That means he is reverting back to his old self." Knuckles put his namesakes beneath his chin. "That to me, indicates a fragile state of mind. It will be hard soon, to keep him quiet and still at all."

"You mean that he's going to be back his normal self soon even if he doesn't remember at all what happened in the recent past?"

"He may. I cannot be sure." Knuckles redirected his gaze to the hedgehogs. "With those two, almost nothing is certain."

In that precise moment, Shadow grimaced and rolled on his side, hiding his face into the blue hedgehog's side and curling up as best as he could.

The Echidna frowned, watching still. Sonic's sleep, drugged and heavy, had remained undisturbed by Shadow's movements, and Knuckles was slightly grateful. He did not want to force Sonic into eating more medication. The second time would be too hard.

"Do you know what time is it?" The small fox asked breaking the almost unnerving silence.

"No...but I'll go outside and check, if you feel the need to know..." Knuckles stood dusting himself off. This would also give him a good excuse to pick a little fruit.

"Ok, just be careful, who knows what's out there..."

"I know what's out there..." Knuckles sighed. "It's how to deal with it I'm unsure of." He stepped out of the room, disappearing from view, already plotting to venture for some apples he'd noticed earlier.

Tails sighed as he watched the red male's back disappear from view, "I just hope that this time they won't find us too soon..." He muttered laying down in his own mat and closing his eyes.

An hour or so later, Sonic felt the fuzzy warmth of sleep receding. He was still sprawled on his back, but now there was something beside him. Something breathing.

He rolled his head to the side sleepily, blinking down at the creature. For a moment, he wondered if his eyes were closed, since he saw only black. Then he was able to make out the familiar red marks.  
"Shadow.....?" He yawned.

The dark hedgehog mumbled out something in response as he was still deep in his sleep and snuggled closer to Sonic in search of comfort.

Sonic shifted onto his side, his limbs feeling weighted with lead almost. He let one arm draped over the slumbering creature affectionately, and debated going back to sleep. This seemed too comfortable to waste.

Shadow mumbled out something else and pressed his body in the warmth of the blue hedgehog, nuzzling his face onto the other's chest with a content smile.

A smile crept across the blue hedgehog's face, as his mind plotted for a way to wake Shadow up. Nice as this was, having Shadow awake was a little more appealing. Carefully, he began blowing air into Shadow's closest ear.

The ebony creature mumbled out a protest and folded his ears, hiding them into Sonic's chest.

Sonic felt a little foiled, grumbling softly. He would have to think of something else....

"You better leave him to sleep..." A deep masculine voice said from behind him, "You don't want to wake him up right now. Trust me."

Sonic looked up, trying to roll over enough to see. When he'd finally achieved that goal, he was faced with the Guardian. Immediately he made a face, eyes darting to the bowl of herbs nearby, but unable to resist asking.

"Why not?"

"Because, first, he went to sleep an hour ago, second, he needs it, third, I'm not sure of this, but he may wakes up pretty bad, and I do not want to deal with a mad Shadow that doesn't want to go back to sleep right now."

"....ah...." Sonic's gaze reverted back to the hedgehog, then set on the scarlet echidna again. "I don't have to go back to sleep, do I?" He sounded almost like a child.

"No, but eat this." He answered giving him the bowl of herb extract, "It'll help you get better."

Sonic's arms fought having him hold the bowl, and almost buckled twice, but he kept it from spilling. "If it tastes as bad as just about every other medicine you give me, I think I'd rather stay sick...."

The echidna raised an eyebrow, "And never be able to enjoy him again?" He asked motioning with his head the black and red bundle next to the blue hedgehog.

"Never....enjoy...." Sonic's eyes narrowed. "What are you thinking?!"

"You know, Sonic. You know..." He said walking away and sitting in another hay mat next to Sonic and Shadow's

"Uh huh. You have a VERY sick mind, Knuckles..." Sonic had started eating the herbs without realizing it, stopping instantly when he did notice.

"I'm not sick, Sonic. I'm just stating the obvious. If you don't get better you won't even be able to stand, nor run and much less do what you do with him."

".....sicko." Sonic growled, resigning himself to eating the medicine. "You don't even know what we do. I don't even have to stand...."

"We're talking on energy terms here, Sonic. You won't have the energy to do anything but to sit up and eat and drink."

"....oh..." He mumbled. "What about Shadow? You make him eat this too?"

"No. He just passed out from exhaustion. He'll wakes up once he has rested."

"Well, why doesn't HE have to eat it?" Sonic growled, poking at the mashed herbs, almost positive them were poking back. "I mean, he was there too...."

The echidna crossed his legs and arms, facing the blue hedgehog, "Because he reacted in a different way."

Sonic blinked, then sighed. "But I don't want to eat them...I think they're...alive..." Another poke. "See?! It's trying to eat me!"

"Then eat them before they eat you."

The blue hedgehog made a face. "That's just gross, Red. Really, really gross."

"Sonic...." He said rolling his eyes, "The are vegetables! They don't bite!"

"You don't know that..." Sonic hissed more toward the bowl before him than the other furry. "They're not trying to engulf YOUR finger."

"Sonic! Stop complaining and eat those herbs before I make you." He warned through gritted teeth.

"You can't make me do anything!" Sonic challenged. Every second with those herbs not being swallowed was a second well-spent. "I'm your patient! You have to be nice to me!"

The echidna stood up and grabbed the bowl, "You'll regret this, hedgehog." He said with narrowed eyes, "You'll regret this..."

Automatic panic button engaged. Sonic was sitting up and backpedaling in seconds, quite happy to find that he wasn't dizzy or in pain like he'd been the last time. His back hit the stone walls too soon for his liking however.

"Crap..."

Knuckles advanced, the darkness of the night making him look creepier than usual when he was angry or upset, "For the last time, you want eat this on your own or want me to make you?"

Sonic gulped and dug his fingers into the mosses on the wall behind him, readying for a dashed get-away. "Never!" He took about three steps before tumbling. "Darnit!!!"

The Guardian grabbed him by the waist, "Don't force your body like this, Sonic. You want to be restrained to bed for all your life?"

"Bed or bad tasting stuff down my throat? Oh pleeeeeaaase don't make me choose...." Sonic grumbled.

"Sonic, if you want to get better you better follow what I say..." He answered dragging the hedgehog back to the hay mat, "Now, eat this or I'll force them down your throat, and it wont be pleasant"

"But I don't want toooo!!!" The hero wailed, his voice whiny, almost akin to Amy's normal one. "Don't make me eat it, Knux, it'll KILL me before it cures me!!"

There was a grumble of protest coming from the dark hedgehog and Knuckles regarded him briefly before returning his gaze to Sonic, "Damn, Sonic! You're worse than a baby! Now, eat this before I get REALLY mad."

"No." Sonic crossed his arms and pouted, mimicking Knuckles peeved expression. He knew sooner or later Knuckles would either give up and stomp away, or actually back up his threats, depending on the seriousness of the situation. He was seriously hoping for the former.

The Guardian growled and pinned Sonic to the hay mat and forced his mouth open, "Told you that you would regret it..." He muttered bringing the bowl over his face.

Sonic yelped in surprise squirmed, trying to force his jaws closed, and when that didn't, tried to bite Knuckles' hand, though both knew he couldn't reach. Finally he opted for violently turning his head this way and that as well as he could. Maybe Knuckles would give up if all the herbs spilled.

Knuckles growled and forced the blue hedgehog's head down on the mat, immobilizing it, then he started to slowly spill the content of the bowl into Sonic's mouth, closing it and forcing the hedgehog to gulp it down.

He repeated this till all the herbs extract was finally down Sonic's throat.

"Told you so, hedgehog." He said releasing him and walking to his mat.

Sonic's throat was burning like hell now, and his pride more than injured. He made a rude gesture at the other's back, not caring if he saw him, and shoved himself up, trying to swallow the taste left behind by the medicine.

The red male rummaged through his sack again and took out a half-inch long amber crystal, then he launched it at the blue hedgehog, "Suck it, and you'll feel a little better."

Sonic snorted. "Everything you say will make me better tastes worst than the last thing you gave me. Sometimes I wonder if you're not just curing me of your own medicine...."

"It's crystallized honey, you moron! It will take away the nasty taste of the medicine AND give you some energy."

"I'm not a moron..." Sonic retorted, picking up the crystal and examining it. "And why would you crystallize honey? It never spoils. That's been proven."

"It's easier to transport than it's liquid form." He explained sitting down and fishing in a bowl for some fruits, "Think about it."

"You could just put it in a jar..." Sonic popped a small portion of the crystal into his mouth, wincing at the sudden rush of taste, but leaving it there.

"And have it broken in one of our rushes and then have all the honey spilled around in the bag?"

The azure hedgehog kept his mouth closed, pretending that it was because the honey crystal was in his mouth instead of him thinking through the logic of his companion's answer. He pulled the crystal from his mouth to answer.

"But if one of these breaks, or melts, you have the same problem, don't you?"

Knuckles rolled his eyes, "They wont break that easily, and they wont melt unless put under the sun of the desert at least for half a hour."

"Hmm..." Sonic's praise was lost, the honey-cycle already having retaken its place in his mouth to dull his speech again. He had to move it. "How come you don't always give me one of these then...?"

The echidna stifled a growl, "Because those herbs I gave you before have more properties that will benefit you than what the honey holds."

"Honey tastes better." Sonic said it as though it was the taste that mattered more than how healthy something was. And in his case, that's what the hedgehog truly believed.

"Whatever, hedgehog. Whatever..." He muttered munching on an apple, "But I'm sure Shadow would agree with me."

"Only because you're both sadistic and enjoying torturing me to now end." Sonic growled, returning the honey to his mouth. "Amh yuuer bot imshame...."

"Yeah, yeah..." Knuckles countered back, more intent on eating his apple than listening to the blue hedgehog, "I wonder how Shadow could fall in love with an annoying hedgehog like you..."

"Am noth ammoyim..." Sonic mumbled, crossing his arms.

"Yes you are. And that's it."

"Yuuer worsh." The hedgehog wasn't going to give this up. "Forthim shuff dom peepolsh throoshs..."

The echidna looked up at him with sharp eyes, "Sonic, before you talk. FINISH EATING, YOU IDIOT!" He half screamed, nearly waking up the black hedgehog, which, fortunately, only mumbled out some protests and curled up more near Sonic.

If Sonic was a flower right then, he would've wilted. As it was, he made an insanely sad and frightened face, one they both knew was a facade, but it was more to annoy the echidna then make him sorry.

The Guardian raised an eyebrow, then he shrugged, "I won't fall for that, Sonic."

Sonic removed the honey, grumbling. "You know, you're supposed to be my friend, and be NICE to me."

"How I can be nice to you if you're a total asshole to me?"

"You're the one that starts it." Sonic replied, debating finishing off the cycle or leaving it for later...or whatever. "You're always yelling at me."

"I wouldn't start if you would cooperate nicely and without complaining every 5 seconds."

"I wouldn't complain and fight if the stuff you gave me to make me better actually tasted like what it was made out of instead of dish washing soap." Sonic gave into the honey's taste and sucked on the leftover crystal.

"Then go and complain to Mother Nature for doing the better herbs taste horrible."

"You could just go to a pharmacy and get the flavored stuff." Sonic swallowed the last of the crystal, surprised it had lasted so short a time.

"I do not thrust those artificial things."

"Why?" Sonic blinked in surprise. "I mean, they work."

"And they have a lot of contraindication and if you're allergic to some stuff they put in it you can even die... and they cost a lot of money that I DO NOT have."

"I have credit at most of the pharmacies in the city, Knuckles. Where do you think Tails gets all the first aids kits? We're on a tight budget, they give them to us for free." Sonic rolled his eyes. "And I would think you wouldn't care that there's a slight risk with those medicines. You're not taking them after all."

"Oh, ok. Then next time I'll into the city to buy things and come back with a whole army from GUN AAAND that thing Eggman loves to send after Shadow. Is that ok with you?"

"...I meant BEFORE we were on the run..." Sonic growled. "I'm not stupid, Knux. I know what'll happen if we stroll into downtown for supplies right now. But you can't say that you've only JUST starting giving me this stuff. You and Tails force it down my throat all the time."

"Because we both know that this stuff is better than that."

The hero heaved a dejected sigh. "I don't see either of YOU eating it."

"Because I never hurt myself like you do."

"I don't hurt myself..." Sonic blinked and looked confused, trying to remember the last time he had. "The knife doesn't really count, Tails shouldn't have tried to show me how to fast-slice tomatoes...."

The echidna shook his head and sighed, "You sure are stubborn."

"What are you talking about?" Sonic blinked, leaning forward. "I'm not stubborn. I'm persistent."

"The same."

"No." The blue blur shook a finger. "They're not. Stubborn is worse. More annoying. Persistent means you know when to quit."

"Exactly. You never know when it's time to quite."

"Do too." Sonic countered automatically. "I just choose NOT to. Difference between knowing and doing."

The echidna stood up, and walked in front of Sonic, kneeling and giving him a quick hit on his neck that would make him go straight back to sleep, "That is why I make you do it."

A small protest the second the hit landed, the cerulean hedgehog slumped forward, connect with the Guardian's chest and leaning there, limp and quiet, the only hint of life being the movement of his chest and back as he breathed a sigh.

Knuckles sighed in relief and moved the hedgehog back to lay down next to his black partner; surely in the morning Sonic would be pissed off, but he could always put him back to sleep....

Finally free of his annoying blue friend, the Guardian went back to his mat to lay down and get some sleep; for the moment they were safe. The ruins in that part of the forest were practically invisible from the air... and the thick vegetation around provided a good shield against enemy's eyes.

---------------------

Was he awake? Lessee......what did he want to do first.....?

....kill Knuckles.

Yeah...he was awake.

His eyelids twitched, then pulled back, fogged emeralds searching around for the scarlet target, the constant 'kill' command running through his mind. A flash of red caught his eye, and he swerved toward it, teeth bared.

Oh....just Shadow....

.....what was Shadow doing on his chest........?

The black hedgehog had shifted various time during the night cause his nightmare and found comfort and safety on Sonic's chest, hearing the soothing sound of his heart and the lulling movement of breathings; now he was just sleeping peacefully with a small smile on his lips and his right hand over the other's belly to make sure that he wouldn't go away.

Sonic blinked a few times, expecting the other to not be there when they reopened, but finding instead that he still was. It was unnerving, and yet...comforting. He shifted carefully, freeing one hand and placing it on Shadow's uppermost center quill, running his fingers along its streak of bloody crimson.

The dark hedgehog's smile grew a little at the petting and for the first time, a faint purr started coming from the depths of his throat as he snuggled closer to Sonic's body in an attempt to capture all the body heat.

Sonic laughed quietly, letting Shadow cuddle against him, wondering if he should move to seek out Knuckles and kill him. Shadow would probably still be sleeping when he got back, but if Knuckles got a head start, Sonic wasn't sure he'd find him in time to tear off the Guardian's dreads a force them down his throat....that would be gratifying...

Shadow, however, had other plans running through his sleeping head; his hold on the blue hedgehog tightened visibly and he almost shifted his body over his partner's.

Sonic's eyes narrowed, and he gently freed his other arm, bring it up to Shadow's side and pushing it against him, trying to adjust him back to his earlier sleeping position. He wasn't about to let Shadow wake up while he was trapped beneath the dark hedgehog.

The dark hedgehog let himself be pushed back, but his hold remained the same.

Sonic sighed, and thought about prying Shadow off of him, opting to try and gently remove the black-furred fingers from where they clung to him.

The ebony creature's fingers tightened as soon as he felt someone try to pry them off.

Sonic grumbled under his breath and laid back, still combing through Shadow's quills. He obviously wasn't going to get out of this without waking Shadow up, or Shadow himself waking.

Knuckles walked into the room and regarded Sonic with a small grin, "Already awake?" He asked.

Sonic's head snapped up and he growled at Knuckles, annoyance and rage bearing down through a glare that should've set the furry across the room on fire. "That was a dirty trick to pull, Red."

"You want it to be pulled again?"

"Come over here and try..." The azure hedgehog was taking his predicament as well as was to be expected. "I guarantee you won't come back this fingers on one hand."

The echidna crossed his arms and grinned, "Sure, sure. We both knows who's the stronger one between us."

"May be stronger, but I'm faster." Sonic began to push himself up off the mat, tired of lying there. "You come over here again, I'll have your arm at the very least by the time we get through. Not like you can actually catch me."

"I'm sure that your little bedmate wont like the idea of you getting away from him." He said as he saw that the black hedgehog was now clinging onto Sonic with all his strength.

Sonic considered this, and settled back down, grudgingly. "Stop acting like you did nothing wrong." He grumbled, trying to find a comfortable way to lie.

"I did nothing wrong. I just sent you to sleep. That's all."

"You sent me to sleep when you knew I didn't want to, and didn't need it." Sonic growled, crossed his arms and staring forward, or was it upward now? "I was perfectly fine."

The Guardian shrugged and turned, "You better stay there on the mat UNTIL I say so, or I will put you back to sleep till you're better. And I'm not joking, Sonic." He said so seriously that the tone itself didn't admit negations or protests.

With a few mumbles under his breath, the echidna was out of the room. Like Tails.

So Sonic did what was most natural to him when he wasn't getting his way in an argument, because he never would say he'd LOST one. He laid back, and sulked.

This made Shadow much more than happy and he demonstrated it slightly increasing his purr.

Sonic blinked in question, but gave in, reaching out and continuing to pet the ones ears, still glaring out of the corner of his eye toward where Knuckles had disappeared. Perhaps after Shadow woke up, he could persuade the other to help him beat the crap out of Knuckles for revenge?

The dark one twitched his ears and gave out a small happy giggle.

Sonic faltered, a little more than amazed. He'd never thought of Shadow as the type to even think about giggling, let alone do it. But.. he sounded almost cute when he did. As cute as someone who looked, and sometimes acted, like a demon dragged up for the pits could be anyway...

Shadow snuggled closer and smiled a little more, "Love you..." He mumbled out in his sleep.

If Sonic had been standing, he probably would've face-faulted. As it was, he simply flushed, a smile sneaking out in the corner of his muzzle. "Love you too..."

The ebony creature smiled and went silent again, without dreaming of those nasty yellow eyes.

Sonic closed his eyes too, but only for a second. He didn't want to go to sleep, not yet. The hero had just woken, and unless Knuckles came back and forced him to sleep again, Sonic planned to stay awake. Just...bored while he was.

Shadow finally started stirring from his sleep and he stretched his muscles, then he relaxed and mumbled out something incoherent.

Instantly, Sonic shifted to look at the other hedgehog more fully, eyes observing. He pushed himself up a little, watching closely, hoping that perhaps he could get Shadow to awaken a little more quickly, and yet not wanting to.

The black furry's eyes twitched a few times and he mumbled out something again, trying to get closer to the source of the warmth.

"What was that, Shadow...?" Sonic shook the hedgehog's shoulder as gently as he could, curiosity getting the better of him.

His only answer was another mumbled sentence that was too far incoherent to be understood.

"Shadow, I have no idea what you're saying...." He shook the shoulder harder, but not roughly, trying to jar the other out of his sleeping world and into that of the living.

The dark hedgehog mumbled out something else with a scared tone and tried to hide into the other hedgehog's arms.

Instinct made Sonic arms automatically surrounding Shadow, embracing him to comfort. "Shadow? Shadow, what's wrong?"

"Back...." He mumbled out relaxing in the warm embrace, "It'll be back..."

'Oh. That thing again.' Sonic didn't loosen his hold, almost afraid to. "Don't worry Shadow, everything will be fine. I promise." He smiled, though the other couldn't see it.

At those words, Shadow finally relaxed and resumed his sleep, somewhat relieved to have heard them and be in Sonic's arms.

'Argh, he's asleep again....' Sonic flopped back, still somewhat hugging Shadow. "At this rate, I'm NEVER going to out of this bed..." He groaned.

The black hedgehog's eyes opened by a crack and he looked around, "Where...?" He asked confused trying to remember what exactly happened.

He could remember arguing with Knuckles, then involuntarily attack him and then collapse to the ground; after that it was just too hazy to remember.

"Oh good!" Sonic sat back up quickly. "You're awake! Yes!!"

Shadow sat up too and rubbed his left eye, "What?" He asked confused and in a whisper.

"Do you think you can stand? Huh? Or at least roll off of me so I can try?" Sonic's eyes darted to the door now. "We gotta hurry before Knuckles comes back!!"

"Why? What's happening?"

"Nothing yet...not until I get to my feet and get the hell out of this room before I go insane...." Sonic grumbled, not happy that Shadow wasn't complying already.

"You won't go anywhere but the next corridor. Knuckles closed the entrance with a big rock..." He muttered in answer.

"I don't care!!!" Sonic yanked his ears, which amazingly stretched quite far. "I tired of laying here and Knuckles knocks me out every time I try to get up! I've been in this same room for too long, and I want a change of scenery!"  
(your go)  
Az *Fear the seahorse-like chip. FEAR IT!!!* scrive:  
Shadow chuckled, "If Knuckles says that you have to stay here. Then you will stay here. I'll make sure of that."

"What?! Shaaaaadooooow...." Sonic pulled his ears further, whining. "I don't WANT to stay in bed! I'm fine! I want up! NOW!!"

"I won't help you in your little run, and if you don't stay here and quiet, I'm going to make you." He said grinning like usual when he was plotting something.

"You traitor!" Sonic crossed his arms, fuming. "I should've shoved you off the mat! Hope Knux forces something down YOUR throat one day, and when it happens, I plan to be there so I can laugh."

The dark creature moved his head so his lips where near Sonic's ears, "The only time that he will force something down my throat will be when I'll be unconscious. And I'm sure that you won't laugh at it."

A shiver traveled down the hero's back, though he tried to hide it, and he pushed the other away. "Don't suck up now, Shadow, I refuse to be pulled into your little ploy."

"I'm planning nothing but keeping you here and quiet... Knuckles would agree with me." Shadow said snaking his arms around the other's waist.

Sonic tried to move out of reach, growling as well as he could, and still pushing the other away. "Stop that right now. I'm angry with you." His tone was failing though.

The black hedgehog released Sonic and stepped back, his face a mask of pure sadness and his eyes threatening to release tears, "You... you..." He lowered his head and a small tear landed on the mat, "You don't mean that, right?" He asked with broken voice.

His azure companion's ears folded, and he frowned, moving back to him, and wrapping his arms around him. "No...I'm not angry...just a little frustrated...that's all...." He nuzzled Shadow's cheek.

Shadow sniffled, "Then why you said that?"

The hero shrugged, still hugging him. "I'm just tired of laying here that's all. You don't know how boring it is to just lie in a bed all day. Every time YOU were bedridden, you fell asleep!"

"But you have to stay to bed. If you walk around the time needed to get better will become longer."

"If I wasn't bored out of my skull, I probably wouldn't want to walk around though..." Sonic grumbled resting his chin on the other's shoulder. "I mean, what does he want me to do? Stare at the ceiling? I've already counted how many patches of moss there are."

"Sonic.... Knuckles trapped us into a room and a corridor..."

"I know, but I've SEEN the room. I need to see something else for at least ten minutes or I'm going to go out of my mind! There is absolutely nothing to do in here, save collect some rocks and throw them at Red when he gets back...." Frustration was clearly getting the better of the hedgehog.

Shadow's head raised and his mouth was once again next to the blue furry's ear, "Then why don't we collect some stones for you to throw at him? I'll even carry you in the corridor to take a breath of.... 'new air...?" He whispered.

Sonic shuddered, tightening his hold, "I thought you were going to keep me in bed, Shadow? What happened to that resolve?"

"I told you that I won't let you move... not that I couldn't move you..." He answered smiling devilish.

"Knuckles is going to murder us, you know..." He released his hold to regard the darker hedgehog. "And I don't mean just yell and send us both back to sleep. He'll tear our heads off." He was grinning though, giving away his consent to the plot.

Shadow hugged the blue hedgehog and brought him as close to him as he could, holding him gently, "Then I'll keep it from happening." He said in a hushed tone into the other's ear, "To lay a finger on you... he first has to deal with me."

"You're so possessive." Sonic rolled his eyes, wrapping his arms the other's neck, moving so that he was eye-level with Shadow, brushing their noses together. "Not as bad as Amy yet...but you're getting there."

The black hedgehog's ears folded and looked away, "I'm sorry.... yet... I can't help it. I love you too much. I would die if you left me or something happened to you. I... can't help it." He said as small tears slowly fell from his eyes.

Sonic nuzzled the other furry's neck gently. "I don't mean that as a bad thing Shadow, it's just an observation. It's actually kind of cute when you do it..." He sighed.

Shadow brightened and melted in the nuzzle, "Really?"

"Really." Sonic continued. "Plus there's the fact you giggle in your sleep, that's cute too...though mildly disturbing." He raised the nuzzle back to the other's cheek.

"Me? Giggling? And why it would be mildly disturbing?" He asked returning the nuzzle with his own.

"Because of the kind of person you look like, acted like. You were always so dark, and you wouldn't really expect someone like that to giggle, now would you?"

Shadow stopped his nuzzle, "Was... I really that dark before my memory loss?"

Sonic blinked. "Well.. you had a dark personality. Like being really quiet and the brooding thing..." He snapped his fingers. "Like Knuckles. Now, what do you think you do if Red started randomly giggling?"

"I would be... perplexed... QUITE perplexed..." He answered truthfully, "So I was that dark..." He finally muttered to himself.

"Give or take a scowl. Plus, you didn't call me a moron." Sonic tilted his head, watching Shadow's reaction.

The black hedgehog rested his head on the other's shoulder, "Do you... prefer me like this or how I was before?"

Sonic frowned at the question. "Why would you ask me something like that...?"

"I want to know."

"I guess that's a given...." Sonic sighed and leaned against the other thinking. "The other Shadow is the one I knew first...but you seem...a lot happier this way." Sonic frowned deeper. "So, I suppose this time, after you don't always seem so frightened and angry, is the best time, the best Shadow, I could hope for."

"In truth, I'd love you pretty much any way you came out, since you're still the same person."

"Thanks, Sonic. But... I might return my old self sooner than we all thought..."

Sonic pulled away. "What are you talking about....?"

The dark one looked down, "Yesterday... I... I attacked knuckles straight away without even thinking about it..."

"....oh....well, I do that..." Sonic was trying to make light of the situation, his fingers automatically combing through Shadow's quills. "I mean, Knux has a way of making people mad..."

"No Sonic. I snapped at him like I was out of my own control... it seemed that my body was moving on its own...."

The hero's free arm went around the other's shoulders, pulling him close, and he kissed the striped forehead. "Don't worry about it, Shadow. We kept you under control before...we'll make sure nothing happens."

"It's not that Sonic. I don't want to be that dark..."

Sonic frowned. "Well, the best we can do is hope that you don't become that person again. We can't make you forget again, the chances were so slim the first time...well...we COULD drop a tree on your head, but well...."

Shadow hid his face into Sonic's neck, "I don't want to remember. It hurts..."

The embrace tightened. "I know...I know, but you can't just stop remembering..." He sighed.

"It's just.... that I don't want to be evil.... nor kill..."

"You were never evil...and we won't let you kill. We've kept you from doing as much as you're capable of, that's for sure." Sonic moved to press his cheek against the other's forehead. "So you don't have to worry..."

Shadow nodded and closed his eyes, enjoying the contact with the other hedgehog that brought him a sense of safety.

Sonic smiled, relieved that Shadow wasn't so upset anymore, and began to play, carefully, with the dark hedgehog's ears, knowing that it would make his companion feel better.

After a minute or so of ear stroking, the black creature stood up, "Well, shall we start collecting rocks?" He asked with a grin.

"You're relentless....." Sonic rolled his eyes. "But sure. Think you can help me up?"

"You can piggyback on me." He answered turning around and showing his back.

"Ugh, this is so undignified..." Sonic grumbled, hoisted himself up onto the offered ride. "When I get my legs back, I'm breaking Red's...."

"well, first you need to get them back under you, right?" He asked standing up and securing Sonic to his body.

A loud grumble. "Yeah, yeah, I know...Think we can find out how Knuckles gets outside? Cause I mean, he has to, cause he's got those herbs and fruit."

"He just move the big rock aside every time he needs to go out or to come in."

"Well...crap...." Sonic went limp on the dark hedgehog's back, like a deflated balloon. "That really sucks.....means we can't go outside...."

"I could use Chaos Control..." Shadow mumbled to himself.

"You could..." Sonic nodded, eyes pricked forward now. "But wouldn't that be inconvenient for you? I mean, you only just woke up, and Knux said you were exhausted...."

"I know. That is why I said 'I could'."

"Oh. I thought you said could as is, 'I can do it right now.'" Sonic blinked, growing quieter.

"I could do it, but I'll have a good probability to end up having a Chaos Drainage. This will surely endanger both of us..."

"Then don't do it." Sonic pointed out logically, then a question came to mind. "How could the Drainage endanger me, besides me losing you? You're the one who could die."

"Yes, but you would be left outside alone without any help." The dark one answered starting walking towards the corridor.

"Well, what's the worse that could happen?" Sonic hugged him tightly, since his arms were looped around the other's shoulders and chest so he could hold on. "There aren't many wild animals in the Mystic Ruins, and it not like Robotnik likes it here..."

"GUN..." Was the whispered answer that Sonic received.

"Oh.....you remember them now?" Sonic buried his chin into the crook of the other's shoulder.

"No. You kinda told me that day in that base...."

"Oh yeah..." Sonic laughed at himself. "Sorry. I'm not fully here today....I think all the junk Knux's given me is finally eating away at my brain..."

The black hedgehog stopped his walk as he entered in the corridor, which was at least 35 feet long with one dead end and one closed exit; there were also other doors, but they were blocked by rubbles.

"Well then, why don't we make him pay for that?"

"What do you have in mind..?" Sonic asked eagerly, trying to extend his head over the dark shoulder.

"Why should I plan? You're the one wanting his little revenge, not me."

The azure hero poked his head. "Because you're the plotter of this relationship. And he knocked you out too, don't you want to get back at him?"

"First, I plot only when I want to pin you down, second, he didn't knock me out, I just collapsed on my own without him lifting a finger."

"Get him back for me then?" Sonic gave him a set puppy-dog eyes, looking as pitiful as possible.

"No. But I will help you along the way."

The hero heaved an incredibly too-heavy-too-be-legit sigh, and slumped against his carrier. "Oh well....think you can at least help me plot? I'm not good at it..."

"Well, what would you like to do?"

"Break him in two and sew the top half on backwards..." Sonic growled, his clasped hands tightening. "Or maybe tear his arms and legs off and make him lie on hot coals......"

"I'm not sure that you'll like it afterwards..."

"I know..." The sapphire hedgehog whined. "...but I need stress relief."

The black hedgehog started trailing his right index finger over Sonic's arm, "Can I do something that may help you relieve this stress?"

Sonic held back a squeal of surprise. "Like what....?"

Shadow chuckled and threw his head backwards, "I have no clue." He said grinning.

"You're just evil, you know that..?" Sonic muttered, moving forward to nuzzle what he could reach of the black furred throat.

The dark hedgehog chuckled more, "Yes. I know, I know."

"Good." Sonic grinned. "Because heroes always beat evil, which means I always beat you. So there."

With careful, but quick moves, Shadow managed to bring the other hedgehog in front of him, keeping him up and against his body by placing both his hands under Sonic's rear; then he slightly pressed him on a near wall, trapping him.

"You were saying?" He asked nuzzling the other's neck.

The captive hedgehog squirmed, clinging both on the darker furry before him and the wall pressed against his back, trying to find a way down without falling. "Shadow, you cheater!!"

The black hedgehog grinned, "Just joking, Sonic. I would do nothing with you in these conditions." He said maneuvering the other hedgehog back on his back, "You should relax more."

"How can I relax when you're constantly jumping and pinning me against walls and floors and beds and such." The hero growled, clinging tightly. "You keep that all and I'll end up with a twitching disorder..."

The only thing that the hero got in response was a shake of head and the resuming of the walk towards the blocked exit.

"You....do know that's a dead end ahead...right, Shadow?" Sonic pointed toward the rock. "I mean, we can't walk though it, or break it..."

"I know, but I have nothing better to do but walk around..."

"Oh...so you're just gonna turn around and go the other way?" The hero asked. "Like shooting gallery ducks?"

"Have you better ideas?"

"No....not really....though if you see any chalk we can play tic tac toe...?" Sonic leaned back to look at the ground, "Or some really light, grainy rocks..."

"Tic-tac-what?" He asked confused.

"Tic-tac-toe, Shadow. It's a game, using Xs and Os to get three in a straight line and win. For bored people." Sonic was still searching the floor with his eyes, not noticing the faint cracks of light appearing around the boulder.

Shadow, however, had seen it and started to quickly walk back to the room; no need for Knuckles to find both of them out of the bed...

"Shadow, what are you doing?" Sonic growled, seeing that Shadow was backtracking, but not noticing the movement of the rock until light began to wash over the floor. Then he looked.

"Oh crap!!!" He whispered urgently. "Busted!!"

The dark hedgehog bolted for the room and the hay mat, not wanting to get caught and feel the Guardian's anger on his own skin.

Just as they disappeared around the threshold, Sonic noticed the rock being pulled out of the way, Knuckles, of course, clutching it. Then he was back in the stone room, listening to the sounds on it being replaced.

"Hurry Shadow, he's already inside!!!"

The black hedgehog managed to reach the mat, but he tripped over its edge and fell forwards, slamming his chin on the rather soft surface and releasing a muffled ow of pain.

"Yipe!" Sonic quickly rolled off of his comrade and sat on the mat beside him, able now to pick up the Guardian's footsteps. He took Shadow by the shoulders and hoisted him upward. "You okay?"

The dark creature massaged his jaw and mumbled out an ok, trying to clear his vision from all those colorful spots.

"Good...." Sonic sighed, relaxing slowly. "Just in time too...."

"Just in time for what?"

His quills shot up, and he looked over his shoulder, praying for his mind and ears to have tricked him, hoping that he hadn't heard what he had, and wouldn't see what he knew he would. But he did.

"Hey...Knux..."

The echidna placed his bag near the entrance of the room and crossed his arms, "Just in time for what?" He repeated

Sonic gave his friend a guilty smile, and twiddled his thumbs. "Um...if I was to say 'nothing,' would you believe me?"

"No."

A short and short answer that told that the echidna wanted the truth.

Sonic's grinned faded, by his fingers still moved in apprehension. "Please don't hit me...?"

"It depends on what you say to me."

"I was bored..." Sonic whimpered, looking at the ground. "So I asked Shadow if he'd move me so I could at least look at something besides the room for a while...." He was currently trying to calculate how quickly he could move himself and Shadow out of the way of any attacks they were about to receive.

Shadow managed to clear his mind a little, "To tell the truth, it was my idea to move him instead of letting him move by himself..." He said still too dazed to move properly.

"You're not supposed to TELL him I wanted to walk, Shadow!" Sonic yanked on his ears. "That increases the chances of him hitting us!! Do you know how to get OUT of punishment!?"

"A well placed Chaos Control?" He answered sighing.

"You can't Chaos Control, remember...." Sonic growled, still pulling his ears.

"I can. With more risks of it going out of control, but I can."

Sonic gave him a droll look. "I repeat. You can't Chaos Control."

Shadow charged his right hand with Chaos Energy, "You want me to show it to you that I can?"

Sonic put his hand over Shadow's, wincing as the Energy took his bare hand. "Can't as in, if you do, if the Drainage doesn't kill you, I will."

"You would really kill me when I'm all helpless on the floor?" The dark creature asked in return, still holding the energy in his hand.

"I'd wait till you got better." Sonic corrected, feeling his arm slowly numbing and the tan fur on his arm now standing on end. "I'm not completely unfair."

Knuckles sighed and uncrossed his arms, "Tell me when you two are done that I brought back food..."

Sonic head swiveled. "What? Food?" A grin crossed his face. "Food's good."

The only thing that Shadow did in that moment was grinning devilish and snickering; his plan had worked perfectly.

Sonic was too busy trying to see into the bag Knuckles had brought to ask Shadow what was so funny. "Whacha get me Knux? Huh? Huh? Huh?"

The echidna looked at Shadow with sharp eyes, "Your plan, uh? Figures... plotting like usual..."

Shadow's grin widened, "Plots are my specialty." He answered.

Sonic had already inched his way to the bag and was rummaging through it. "Fruit...junk...veggies....more fruit...where do you keep the chilidogs, Red? You didn't crystallize them too, didja?"

"I don't think they grow on trees like the fruit does or from the ground like veggies..."

Sonic heaved a sigh. "On the run, confined to bed, and no chilidogs. Someone up there just hates me to little bits today...."

Shadow looked at him, "You still have me, right?" He asked tilting his head a little to the side.

"One of the few very good things about this days, much as you enjoy jumping me every five seconds...." Sonic selected a pear-like fruit and half-dragged, half-scooted his way back to the mat.

Shadow scooted next to Sonic, "Ahhh... but you enjoy that, right? All those moans and whimpers say so..." He whispered into his ears in a husky tone.

Sonic shivered and pushed Shadow back a distance. "I'm EATING Shadow...Don't you start."

The dark hedgehog snickered again, "Then I'll start once we're alone again. Knuckles here would surely kill us both if we start playing."

Said Guardian raised his eyebrows at the two, then coughed, moving to the doorway. "I think I'll give you some time anyway. Have fun..."

"Knux, you jerk!!" Sonic growled after him, but the Echidna was already gone.

As soon as the black creature heard the rock move two times, he looked at Sonic with longing eyes and a devilish grin.

"You will stay RIGHT THERE until I finish my food, mister." Sonic warned, taking a bite of the fruit, eyes wary.

The black hedgehog stood up and went to grab the bag, "Ok." He said walking back to the mat and sitting down to fish into it and get something to eat, "But as soon as you're done, you're all mine." He said happily. Sonic muttered something about making sure to eat extra slow, and swallowed his bite, taking another, much smaller one.

"By the way, Sonic." Shadow started, taking a bite of an apple, "Why don't you tell me what you usually did on your time before meeting me?"

"Besides fight Robotnik, spar with Knux, and hang out? Not much. Mostly took runs. There are a few nice places to go, and the Chao Gardens aren't such a bad place to visit. I keep thinking about raising one, but I've never had the time..."

"Do you... travel?"

Sonic shrugged, "I guess you could call it that. I go a lot of places, but travelling usually means you go there cause you WANT to, not HAVE to..." He had almost finished the pear without noticing, and still did not. "But yeah, I go places if that's what you're asking..."

The dark hedgehog finished his apple and brought his legs to his chest, hugging them, "Once this ends... will you show me those places?" He asked, voice muffled by his arms.

Sonic regarded him, and smiled. "I was planning to anyway, Shadow. Especially the Chao Garden. There was one there, don't know who's it is, but it's got your markings....or really close." He poked the other's quills.

Shadow raised his head from his arms and regarded the blue hedgehog, "What are Chao?"

"You...oh right, space. Sorry." Sonic pondered. "Imagine....something with a head shaped like a lemon.. and a round little body...with really big eyes...they're kind of like babies, I suppose. You'll get it better when you see one, they're cute enough to melt Eggy's heart. I know for a fact he's got at least two, and spoils them rotten."

"I would like to see them, then." He said with a small smile.

"I'll bet..." He bit into the last of the fruit, and set the core down, spinning it. "I still want to adopt one, but hey, what can you do?"

"You really would adopt one of them? Didn't you say that you had no time to yourself?"

"I would, if I did have time. Chao aren't allowed to leave the Garden, so I'd have to have someone babysit all the time, every time Robo-man started something..." Sonic gave the core another spin. "But you just can't help wanting one anyway..."

Shadow turned away to look into the space in front of him, "Oh. I understand."

"Yep." Sonic laughed. "I'll have to introduce you to Cream, she can tell you this stuff better'n me. She grew up with the little things..." Another spin, and he let the leftover pear fall, then leaned back. "Maybe after all this, we can get a Chao anyway though. That way, one of us can always take care of it..."

Shadow crawled over Sonic and trapped him with his hands, "I'm not sure that I will leave you alone in one of your... mission against Ivo.... "

"Hey, I've beat him before. Relax, he always pulls the EXACT same stunt as before, and it's always easy as pie." Sonic grinned up at the dark hedgehog.

The ebony creature straddled him, "It's not that, Sonic. It's the pure fact that you'll get all the fun while I'll have to remain home with the Chao..."

"Aww...Chao are so cute though. You think I'd want to leave? I'm just the more experienced fighter here, and I know what to expect."

"Last time it was me who pulled you out of certain death..."

"So I got side-tracked. I'm sorry!" Sonic rolled his eyes. "Curse my natural instinct to help others, okay?"

Shadow leaned down, "What would have happened if I was not there?"

Sonic shrugged and looked away. "I don't know...."

"You would have died." He answered for him, "And now I'd be all alone."

The blue hedgehog's ears folded. "But you WERE there, I DIDN'T die, so can we not talk about this anymore...?"

Shadow grinned like his usual when plotting, "Then, what should we talk about?"

"I don't know, but not about people dying. It's depressing...." Sonic grumbled, turning his head back. "Wait a sec....why are you grinning like that...?"

The black hedgehog started petting Sonic's chest, "Last time we got interrupted, right?"

Sonic cheeks flushed and he squirmed, trying to swallow a rising purr. "You little scheming....."

"You should know me by now, Sonic, that I love this over every other thing."

"I've noticed..." The purr was evident in his voice and he gave in, enjoying the attention. "I wish you'd give me a warning before you do this stuff though...."

"So you could avoid it and maybe counter it?"

"No, so I wouldn't practically have a heart-attack every time you do..." Sonic twisted a little, the purr deepening.

Shadow used his other hand to grasp Sonic's shoulder and immobilize him, then he dived with his mouth in the blue hedgehog's neck, "Stop complaining. You're still alive." He said starting to tease the flesh there with his lips.

A garbled protest broke through the captive mouth and he tried to move away, trapped. Soft moans and whimpers chorused immediately after that realization.

Shadow smiled at Sonic's moans and whimpers; that meant that he was pleasing him.

Sonic tilted his head back, letting Shadow gain more access, and enjoying the attention quite a bit now, until he heard something. A faint scuffling sound, and his ears pricked, trying to listen to the noise through Shadow's ministrations.

"Shadow...? Stop for a sec...do you hear that..?"

The dark hedgehog stopped and moved his ears around; then his eyes narrowed. Something was wrong. Very, very wrong.

And he didn't like it at all.

"Does...that sounds like Knuckles to you?" Sonic twisted, trying to move in order to hear better. The scraping sounds had started, and suddenly voices reached his ear.

"Get the rock out of the way, men! He'll be inside!"

Shadow felt his fur stand all on end; this was bad. Really, really bad. They were trapped in a hole without any other exit...

He looked back to Sonic, and after a few seconds he made his decision.

Chaos Control...

The dark one started to charge up for one big enough for the two of them, hoping that he would survive enough to place to safety his partner.

"Shadow! No!" Sonic covered his companion hand with both his own, wincing as the Energy meet bare flesh. "You'll die!" The sounds were already growing louder, and the noise from the boulder being pushed away had come to a halt. They would be here soon.

"Better death than imprisonment!" He screamed in a whisper, "I won't go back there. Never!"  
With that, he freed his charged hand and looked in Sonic's eyes, "Don't worry, everything will be alright as long as we're not caught by GUN."

"Shadow, please, don't!" Then he broke gaze with the other, meet with an armed soldier's, just as they were coming into the doorway.

"FREEZE! Or I'll shoot!!"

The black hedgehog slowly turned his head to look at the human and snarled viciously as something stronger than him started to build up inside him; the Chaos Energy in his hand was morphed from a Chaos Control to a beginning of a Chaos Spear attack.

"Shadow!!!" Sonic quickly wrapped his arms around the other's waist to anchor him. "No!!! Stay still!"

Shadow was too far gone now to hear his partner's plea, and with a growl of anger, he launched his attack towards the enemy, killing it instantly; then he quickly recharged for another attack. He wouldn't fall without a fight.

Sonic gasped, then grabbed onto Shadow's charged hand again, wrenching him back to his side, and glaring straight into the scarlet eyes. "Shadow. Stop. Now! Before you kill more people!!!" He whispered harshly. More men were already coming. "We can fight without killing any of them..."

The dark hedgehog's eyes narrowed greatly at him, "Better death, be mine or theirs, than to be caught!" He answered snarling and charging more his hand.

A soft whimper threatened to escape Sonic's throat, but he held it in, forcing his face to look calm and forceful. "Shadow, we're NOT killing anyone, innocent or not. That's not the kind of people we are, you KNOW that!" His eyes darted toward the soldiers; taking in the weapons, until he spotted something he didn't want to see.

Darts, being loaded quickly...'Oh...crap..'

Shadow turned around quickly and unloaded his Chaos Energy blast on the humans; however, one of them managed to hit him with a dart, and he started immediately feeling dazed.

However, he was created to sustain more than one dose of the tranquilizer that the had used and he pried the dart out of his side; with another growl, he charged his right hand again and waited for the dust to settle back on the ground.

Before it did however, there were two wild shots, one being another dart, the other a bullet. The more fatal bit of ammunition zoomed by its target, missing completely and embedding itself into the moss wall behind them. The shot would've missed almost no matter what, but that didn't stop Sonic from instinctively moving 'out of the way.'

Into the path of the dart.

With a soft yelp of surprise and pain, Sonic slumped backwards, and his eyesight hazed.

Now Shadow was really mad and screamed his fury; this brought him back a few memories. The worst ones.

That made him madder than he could be and he charged both his hands with all the Chaos Energy he could muster.

They would all die for their sins.

The soldiers all panicked, most fleeing, the others taken random shots, which, surprisingly, did not hit either hedgehog. One, the one with the dart gun, maybe to land three shots directly into Shadow, but in his rage, it seemed there was no effect.

Sonic, trying hard to push himself out of a daze, eyes hurting from the rush of blinding lights, sought out Shadow's form and clung to him, trying hard to stay awake, a noise of distress leaking for his throat before his eyes began slipping close.

The dark hedgehog looked down at his partner that had fallen asleep; then he shifted his gaze to the few humans that had remained there. His eyes narrowed and he growled deeply; now the imaged of pure madness and rage, Shadow morphed the Chaos Energy in his hands into two Chaos Swords.

A crazy grin appeared on his face, "You're all dead."

The soldiers did exactly what they'd been taught to do when this happened. Shoot to kill. They fired all they had into the hedgehog, but nothing struck home, and what did, was of no use. The insane hedgehog seemed to notice no pain, and did not bleed.

He only became angrier.

Shadow, even if in his berserk status, had raised a thin shield of Chaos Energy that surrounded his body; this made him immune to every type of weapon that shot bullets.

That was why he was never wounded even if hit.

He folded his ears and slightly lowered his head, raising his quills; only a thought in his mind...

Kill them all.

His opponents panicked, and made a hasty 'retreat.' A better way to describe their actions would be to say they dropped their weapons, empty and useless, and ran like hell in the direction they hoped would hold safety.

The crazy hedgehog grinned and made to follow them, but stopped as he heard a soft snoring; he turned around and looked at his partner sleeping on the floor.

"I... am sorry... I... can't stop this... it's... too strong..." He whispered with tears in his eyes as he stroked him on the shoulder, "I... want to forget again..."

With a Chaos Energy charged finger, he started to write something on the floor; when he was done, he stood up and left in a hurry.

The writing simply read, "Help me."

At the same time both Shadow and Sonic was attacked inside, Knuckles was tearing through the guards who were trying to hold him down in the Mystic Forest outside. They had almost managed to cuff his arms behind his back, but the echidna had thrown they off before they could do anything of the sort.

It had boiled down to will-power keeping the Guardian from keeling over down, two darts already having been buried in his shoulder. He knew, as did his attackers, that his legs would buckle under him soon, it was only a matter of time. But damn be him if he didn't give them all hell before he went.

The forest went silent in a matter of a second as a loud and chilling scream echoed through it; no doubt that it was directed to the humans and that its owner was filled with rage, hate and a wish for death...

Knuckles froze, and almost fell over, recognizing that noise enough to know exactly what was happening. The men did not, and stilled, the last and worst thing they should've done, and turned to look. If he'd been in better health, and the distraction something less terrifying, he would've taken advantage of this, knocking the rest down for the count, or getting out of there.

He should've.

There was an explosion between their hideout and the location of Knuckles that shook the whole forest as the shock wave spread across the land irradiating it with Chaos Energy, then, silence once again. There was no sound but the rustle of the leaves.

The echidna was thrown against on of the trees behind him by the shock wave, but had suffered no mortal injuries. If the same could've been said for the human bodies littering the ground, Knuckles might have been less apprehensive when the dust began to clear, and he could make out the shape of the explosion's cause.

There was a low growl resonating on the air; a growl that instilled pure fear in the heart of everyone that would hear it and see its owner.

As the dust cleared, Shadow tilted his head to the side and grinned crazily to the humans that had the misfortune to survive the shock wave.

"Hellooo..." He said in a fake sweetness.

Knuckles shoved himself to his feet, trying to search the battlefield for Sonic. The sapphire hedgehog was no where in sight, and that caused a serious problem in Knuckles' book. The hero practically clung to Shadow when he was like this, and him not being here when Shadow was crazier than hell....two and two make four.

"Shadow!! Where's Sonic?" Not his smartest choice, but he had to be sure...

The dark hedgehog tilted his head to the other side and softened his face, "He's... napping in the hideout. Go help him. Hurry."

"...napping...?" Knuckles blinked but suddenly realized what Shadow meant. They had sedated the hedgehog. He cursed and started to move for the opened entrance, stumbling to the ground after a moment, and taking far longer than he wanted to get back to his feet.

The black hedgehog grabbed him by a wrist and made him turn, "Protect him... even from me..." He said disappearing in a Chaos Control

The jerk of Shadow's sudden absence caused Knuckles to almost fall again, but he regained his balance and propelled himself to the safety of the stone wall nearby leaning heavily onto it and making his way inside.

To his relief, he found Sonic just as Shadow had left him, or close enough, curled into a small ball , quills half out and for the most part, unharmed.

Meanwhile Knuckles was busy with Sonic, the dark hedgehog had returned to his killing spree, but by now he was starting to visibly suffer from all the tranquilizer in his system. Yet, he would never stop until the last human was laying at his feet in a pool of blood.

The GUN warriors did all they could to fight back, what was left of them anyway, after slaughter and desertion. He were noticed the hedgehog's weakness, that he was slowing, and more darts were fired in rapid succession, the majority never reaching him, but the few that did pumping excess chemicals into the hedgehog's blood stream.

By now, any normal hedgehog would've been dead, but better the Project, GUN decided, than them.

With all that sedative in his blood stream, Shadow started to slow down and wobble on his legs, yet, he still refused to fall. He had his mission to accomplish, and there was no way that he would stop.

Not now, nor ever.

GUN noticed, they had been waiting. The last of the force pushed forward, using everything they could get their hands on to bring the hedgehog down. He was not invincible after all, they knew now, simply difficult.

The black hedgehog watched as the last forces advanced and tried to charge up for a final attack; however, in doing so he would end up in having a drainage, and if he survived that, he would surely end up in their hands since the possible blast could leave some alive to call for back up.

Nonetheless, Shadow decided that it was best to risk his own life and kill a few more humans than just surrender.

The humans saw the charge, and to their credit, held their ground; reinforcements were already on their way, and if they didn't take the 'monstrosity' down, their fellows would.

The dark creature raised his hands to the sky and clenched his fist, "I DESPISE YOU!" He screamed as several Chaos Spear formed into the sky and 'locked on' the humans.

"YOU'RE ALL DEAD!"

And with that scream, he lowered his arms and the Chaos Energy weapons were fired.

The Chaos Spears tore into the small crowd, and all but ten at the very most fell, the Energy sizzling through chest, limb, and torso, screams of pain racing each other to the sky.

But by then, more were already there.

Shadow started wobbling dangerously on the spot, but he still refused to fall down even if he could feel his heart protesting loudly, his lungs screaming for the air they received and his body just wanting to shut down. Possibly permanently.

He raised his hands in front of him; he could still break a few bones before collapsing definitively.

He could've.

If only Shadow hadn't been so focused on the men he could see. If only he hadn't been blood crazed and out of his own control. If only one of the soldiers hadn't already snuck up from behind, taser at the ready...

The resulting shock was the final straw.

Shadow heard a click, and was fast enough to turn around and see a man holding a different weapon; then, there was a surge of pain running through all his body, and when, after a few seconds that seemed eternity, the electric charge stopped, he collapsed on the ground half awake, half dead on his side. The only thing he could do was move his eyes and launch a death glare at the human that hit him.

The man smiled, something akin to the way Sonic did when he won an argument, and waved to the others. Ropes and chains were hurriedly brought over, and the men, careful so as to not injure themselves, quickly began binding the hedgehog.

"I swear... I will kill you all. I swear it. I'll do it. Even if I have to wait another fifty years and even if it'll be the last thing I'll do." He weakly growled out as he felt the humans bind him with everything they had, "I swear it."

"Shut up." One of the soldiers brought the taser, turned off luckily, across Shadow's face, hoping to keep him quiet. It was bad enough having him look like a hell-spawn creature, if he started cursing them like one...

The dark one grunted and narrowed his eyes as much as he could, ruby iris as bloodthirsty as they could get, "And you will be the first." He growled out raising his quills as one man tried to bind his hands behind his back, "Then all the others. You will all die of a painful death."

"Not before you..." The sound was almost like a child's voice, and a young face appeared, accompanied by the taller man in uniform.

"Our many thanks, Amy Rose, you've been an outstanding citizen today." The man shook her hand, smiling warmly. She returned both gestures.

"I should be thanking you, for getting hold of that creep before he hurt my poor Sonic more than he already has. You haven't done anything to him, right? Just like we agreed...?" She looked concerned, but eager.

"No. He had to be tranquilized, since he refused to cooperate, my men tell me, but he'll have no more than a sore head when he wakes..."

At the sight of the pink hedgehog, Shadow started thrashing violently, "You! It was you, little bitch! I swear! I'm gonna tear you piece by piece and you'll be sorry to even be born! I swear it over my own life! You'll regret what you did! I swear it!" He growled out with apparent new energy that was given to him by his hate and rage.

"Yes, yes, with the thousands deaths and my whole line, my children's children etc." The girl waved his words away. "You'll take that back though. My children will be Sonic's too, you know." she leaned over him, knowing he was bound too tight to reach her, and grinned.

"And when he's found you've disappeared to who knows where...you do you think he'll come to for comfort? I've been kept confidential, so the only one who will ever even say I was here, will be you..." Her eyes sparkled. "And I doubt you'll be able to tattle on me when your lips are frozen shut for at least another fifty years..."

The black hedgehog went mad again and he lunged for Amy's right leg with his mouth, biting down and cutting the flesh deeply with his teeth; then, he started trashing his head around so he would do more damage. It wouldn't kill her, but at least he was getting a small satisfaction on her pain.

The soldiers were on them immediately, yanking Shadow's jaws off of the hedgehogette's leg and pinning him back down to gag him tightly, while three or four tended to the leg wound and helped Amy stand.

"Bastard..." She growled, a vicious glare directed toward the mass of streaked fur.

Even if the black creature was feeling tired, he trashed anyway, growling and raising his quills, managing to bite the hand of the human that was trying to gag him and never letting go as the blood started to pour into his mouth and muzzle; he would never surrender.

Never.

Humans took turns moving around the Project's head, tightened the thick cloth to keep him from tearing out anyone else's flesh, already naming him a vampire, keen as he was to bite.

"Don't worry Ms. Rose..." The commander soothed the young girl, and she smiled toward Shadow, glitter in her eyes. "...we know exactly what to do with him..."

Shadow, now gagged, could do nothing but return the gaze with a death theme in it; now it was official that when he was free again, he would seek her and kill her, or better... show her what hell was. After all, he knew that Sonic would look for him every where; even hell itself. He knew it. He trusted him to do so.

Upon that thought, he smiled at Amy, sure that she had already lost the war even if she had won the battle.

'Soon, little bitch. Soon you will see hell and you will live covering in pure fear.' He thought smiling with knowledge in his red eyes.

Amy felt a small shiver and averted her eyes back to the commander, smiling. "Where's Sonic now? I want to be the first thing he sees when he wakes up."

"He's in that ruin," One of the remaining men said, "He should still be asleep."

Unfortunately for them, Shadow had managed to give Knuckles enough time to take Sonic away from there, and knowing this, the dark hedgehog laughed behind the thick gag.

Amy stood and looked down at the black hedgehog. "What's so funny? Finally gone off the edge?" She resisted the urge to kick him.

The black creature stopped laughing and tilted his head.

Perfect; she was near enough for him to give her another attack.

With a mad grin half hidden by his gag, Shadow twisted around and lifted himself on his shoulders, then, with a muffled growl he quickly swung with his bounded legs down at Amy, hearing a satisfying crack.

Good. A broken nose and more blood spilled. There. Feeling better now.

Amy went down with a yelp, and another uproar to pin down Shadow and help the girl followed, at least two soldiers threatening the dark hedgehog with tasers.

"Hurry, we'll take her with us, she'll need medical treatment...."

Shadow let loose a chuckle that was halfway happy and halfway mad, 'This was only a little sample of what I'm going to do with you, bitch. I'll be back for more. Remember it.' He thought as he started to twist weakly, for hedgehog's standards, under the humans' hold.

For all his meek struggles, Shadow was still taken along with the soldiers, dragged aboard a large aircraft, similar to a plane with a touch of helicopter. Amy was helped after by a private, and the commander himself.

The black hedgehog, however, even if he was starting to quickly lose the fight, he was not going to stop his struggles and his muffled growls of hate and rage could be still heard over the silent engine.

The commander, watching the Project fight with his bonds and snap at his captors, nodded to one of his underlings who quickly rushed to his side. Her helmet and visor had fallen away during battle, revealing a short shock of red hair, and dark brown eyes.

She didn't give time for her looks to be praised however, she was too busy filling the dosage with more sedative, and trying to tap out the bubbles.

Knowing well what the woman was planning, Shadow raised his quills and growled deeply in warning that he would give everything he had left to hurt her.

She paused and looked down at him, an inquiring look crossing her face. Obviously she was new to the GUN unit, for an experienced soldier wouldn't have hesitated like she had. She frowned, and put a hand on the hedgehog's shoulder, a surprisingly strong grip for someone as young as she seemed, mouthed a sorry, and began to administer the sleep-forcing liquid.

The dark hedgehog was taken aback by her mouthed sorry, but started squirming around nonetheless, managing to roll away before all the drug was pumped in his system.

Now laying on his stomach, he looked at her an raised more his quills; sleepy growls leaving his gagged mouth as the sedative started to slowly take its effect on his body and mind.

She backed away slowly, her mouth still set in a frown, but she finally turned and went to the rest of her squadron, replacing the needle into a pack, seeming almost relieved she didn't have to give him the rest of it.

Shadow's eyes slowly closed; that woman seemed different from all the others. Maybe... just maybe she could understand before she did the irreparable...

Maybe....

With that last thought, the dark hedgehog ceased every movement and fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.


	10. Chapter 10 — Planning

Muwahah! I am now the owner of Sonic! I am! I am!!! AHAHAAAA!!!!

Sonic: Crazy broad..."

Shadow: Right, since Dragon's flipped her lid, we'll be opening the story, which incidentally isn't as great as you all seem to think! In fact, why don't you do something more worthwhile with your spare time, like read a REAL book and further your education!

Sonic: Aren't you supposed to be trying to GET them to read the story?

Shadow: Have you read ahead by any chance? We get tossed around, burned, sliced, beat up in almost any way imaginable, and there's not even a single kissing scene for like... -starts counting- ...well, a long time! Right in the MIDDLE! I mean, what kind of romance IS this?!

Sonic: ....Um....traumatic?

Shadow: Exactly! We need to get her back to writing fluff before they decide to off one of us!

Shadow and Sonic: o.o'

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Chapter 10 - Planning

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Sonic's eyes opened slowly, then slammed themselves shut with a groan. His first thought was just how much his head hurt. The hero had experienced a hangover once in his life and vowed to never put himself through it again. Who the hell had given him a drink last night.. or was it still night? Another groan, he had to open his eyes to find out.

So he did, and again, they re-closed themselves, panging him for even thinking of waking up yet. He hadn't been drinking.. had he? Didn't remember it anyway...drugged...yeah, this was what he felt like after Knuckles gave him medicine...did he have medicine before this..? Curses, now he had to think.

"Stay down and calm, Sonic. They drugged you with tranquilizer, and the headache will pass in a hour. max two." A masculine voice commented as its owner placed its hands on the blue hedgehog's head and massaged his temples so that would soothe the pain.

"Knuckles...?" Sonic's eyes flashed open, catching a glimpse of bright scarlet, confirming his guess. "Ugh, suddenly...I'm very glad you never lived up to your threats to sedate me...Man my head...." He tried to move to hold his throbbing skull, but his arms rebelled.

"Relax Sonic. Moving will only increase your headache." The Guardian advised never stopping his massage.

Sonic gave a small laugh. "Suddenly I hate to see how Shadow's doing. He got hit at least twice...is he even awake yet? How long was I out for?" He tried to tilt his head back and look at his friend, but another jolt of pain stopped him. "Ow..."

There was silence as Knuckles stopped his massage and looked away, "You were out for a whole day. Now it's almost afternoon." He finally said resuming his massage.

"And Shadow?" Sonic repeated, his headache finally receding enough that he could crack his eyes open. "How's he? Still asleep...?" His eyes darted, trying to locate the dark form. The echidna gulped down and sighed; he would surely find it out later, so better give him the news right now.

"Sonic.... The last time I saw Shadow was yesterday in his madness... I've not heard from him since then, and I fear that.... he was captured."

That took a little while to sink in, and Sonic's eyes opened wider. "W.....wha...? He's....not here..?" The hedgehog began trying to push himself up, looking around as if to see if the other was joking.

Knuckles forced the blue hedgehog to lay down, "I'm sorry Sonic, but it's the truth... He also left a message next to you, knowing that either way, he needed your help..."

"And you didn't try to wake me up or anything?!" Sonic yelling, ignoring the return of the pounding headache. "Let me up Knuckles! Which way he go?! I'm going to kill him for this one!!!" He tried to push the other off.

"Sonic. Calm. Down." The echidna warned in a too much familiar serious tone, "You won't be able to do anything in your conditions. Much less sneak into a GUN base to get him..."

"I don't give a damn!! You shouldn't have let him go off and...and get himself caught!!" He pushed at the Guardian again, trying now to force his legs under him. "That stupid...arrogant...oooo, when I get my hands on him..." Sonic flopped back to the ground with a huff, almost as bad off again as he'd been when first waking.

"You first have to be able to stand on your legs before you even start to search for him." He said crossing his arms and looking at him directly in the eyes, "Now. Or you calm yourself down or I'll calm you knocking you out for another day. Choose your destiny."

"You just love violence, don't you?" Sonic growled back, not letting the echidna intimidate him, though he knew the threats would be carried out. He was too angry right now to feel the usual effects of Knuckles' glare.

The Guardian motioned the entrance of a cavern with his hand, "Then go and try to get into who-knows-where-they-took-him and get yourself killed. That is... if you can stay on your feet because I won't help you out this time." He said angrily.

"Better to get myself killed..." Sonic tried to push himself up straight again, but slipped and fell back, "...than sit here....and wait for who knows how long...ow..."

Knuckles stood up and turned his back to the hedgehog, "Tikal and Chaos are working to track him down... They will show up soon. That is, if you can wait here and get your strength back for the raid we'll plan."

Sonic sighed, feeling defeated. "How long will that take...?" He hated even considering this, but without Knuckles help, he wouldn't be able to stand or walk, and the Guardian had already expressed the fact that he would not receive that aid.

"Don't know. The planet is big, but they said that they were going to follow the faint track of his Chaos Energy signature." He answered with a more soft tone of voice.

"I guess...." Sonic laid his head back down, hating himself, hating these circumstances, and trying to plan how many times and different ways he could kill Shadow when he found him. "...we wait then...huh?"

The echidna turned his head and smiled, "Just rest, Sonic. When they'll be back I'll warn you straight away."

"Thanks..." Sonic stared up at the cave ceiling, frowning. "Knuckles...we heard you fighting out there....weren't YOU sedated? At all?" The hedgehog turned his head to see the scarlet furry.

"I was hit two times. I was able to go on thanks only to my own will. When I saw Shadow, he had at least five darts on his body that I could count, and he was still unaffected by them."

"Ouch..." Sonic winced. "Which means if he dropped at all.. he's either still sleeping it off, or......" He suddenly paled and his ears folded, the words unspoken, but clear.

"He could have died from the excessive sedative in his system. Although I doubt that..."

"You're sure..?" Sonic's eyes were back of the ceiling, not wanting to think about Shadow maybe being dead. "You really think..."

"He might be able to survive the amount of sedative that they might have used on him to knock him out, but if we're fast enough to recover him from where they put him, we might find him in a sort of coma..."

"A sort...?" Sonic blinked. "You mean they'll just freeze him again? Like before?"

"Possibly, but what I was saying that we could find him into a holding cell, in coma, until the necessary equipment is brought together to seal him again. Knowing Eggman, he might have destroyed something vital to that machine..."

"Yeah...he likes breaking stuff almost as much as you do, Red..." The sapphire hedgehog laughed, and shifted a little, wincing at his headache. "I just...hope we get there in time.. you know?"

"Don't worry. Even if they freeze him again. What we have to do is to free him again, right?"

"Yeah...but I doubt he'll be happy when he wakes up again, I mean...he'll prolly think another fifty years have gone by.." Sonic considered that. "I mean, that's what it's like to be frozen, right? Like sleeping? Takes forever then it's suddenly over?"

"Maybe, but he'll think otherwise if he sees you as soon as he open his eyes."

"Do you know how many blue hedgehogs there are in the world?" Sonic laughed, rolling his eyes. "Not to mention my kids could end up this color, if I have any."

"I'm not sure that he, or you, can be... ahem..."

".....I meant if it was fifty years later and I'd moved on my life Knux..." Sonic growled. "Not that I would. But if it's supposedly fifty years in the future...well you never know..."

Knuckles turned his head back, hiding the small blush of embarrassment for having misunderstood him, "Oh." He said quickly.

Sonic's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What are you hiding?! Are you laughing at me?!" He tried to shift and look the other furry directly.

"Nothing's wrong, hedgehog. I'll be outside to look out for either Chaos or Tikal." The crimson male said, walking out of the cave to disappear in the late morning light.

"Uh huh....liar..." The hero growled as he gazed after him, tempted to try and follow, though the headache pounding in his skull forbade it. He hated the wait to get better, almost as much as the fact that Shadow wasn't here to keep him preoccupied.

It took another half a day for Tikal and Chaos to come back to the cavern Sonic and Knuckles were hiding him, but when they reappeared in front of the Guardian, Tikal was smiling.

"Guess whaaaaat?" She sing-sang, swaying her fingers to the unknown, unnamed tune. "Guess who we fooooouuuund!!!" Sonic who was sitting off to the side, trying to re-teach his legs to walk, looked up, eyes perking forward.

The water creature walked next to the spirit and looked at the blue hedgehog, then at Knuckles.  
The echidna hinted a small smile, "You found him, right?"

"Of course! Was there ever any doubt?" Tikal chimed, still practically doing a concert. "Guess where? Guess where?" She was obviously very proud of this accomplishment.

The Guardian sighed, "Tikal... I have no clue to where they would have taken him... who knows... he might be on the other side of the planet...."

"Buzz, buzz!! Wrong!!" Tikal laughed. "He's practically right next door! There's this isle away from the continent, connected by a long bridge! He's there, we could only barely sense him, because the walls are so thick, and he's really weak at the moment, but he's there." She turned serious.

"He's suffering a Drainage after that big fit he threw, when he killed all those men. And what else is really odd, is that Amy's there too!"

The echidna's eyes narrowed, "I'm gonna make her regret to have even thought to ally herself with those men..."

"That's the weird part! She's injured like crazy!" Tikal was holding her chin. "Not beat up and sliced in half like before, but like, bruised a lot..."

"You think they just beat it out of her?" Sonic tilted his head. "She wouldn't really think much of selling Shadow out, Tikal."

"But they almost killed you two. Another dose on your part, Sonic, and you wouldn't have woke up at all." The priestess looked troubled. "Something more is going on here!"

"What if she REALLY sold out Shadow?" The echidna interjected, "I mean, she is obsessed enough with you, Sonic, that she may think once she has gotten ridden of him, you'll love her back..."

"I'm with Knuckles." Sonic grumbled, crossing his arms. "She gotten these guys on our tails twice before, and admitted it, what makes this time any different?"

"You're forgetting who this IS, Sonic!" Tikal countered. "Amy's backed you up on almost every single adventure you've been on! The least she deserves is the benefit of the doubt!"

"Then I will give her that, but I'm pretty sure that she was the one that sold him out." Knuckles said looking into the spirit's eyes, "Last time she sold us out to Eggman..."

"How do you explain the injuries then?" Tikal asked, giving Knuckles a calculating look. "She wasn't fighting, we both know that, she always came before the hoards did."

"She might have paid a visit to Shadow before he was knocked out entirely and he might have attacked her with his last bit of energy..." the echidna answered nodding slightly, "Sonic and I know well that Shadow won't stop fighting until he's accomplished his task or until he's knocked out."

Sonic nodded, and Tikal sighed. "You two have an answer for everything. I think you work together just to prove me wrong...."

"Well, we should hurry to this island before we're too late and he either dies from the drainage or is put back in the freezer for another fifty years."

Another nod from the hedgehog, the a sudden yelp and thudding sound as he lost his footing and hit the floor. It took a good few seconds for him to regain full eyesight and to make sure his brains weren't scrambled. Then he voiced his feelings in one word.

"Dammit!!"

The Guardian looked at the hedgehog on the ground, "Ok, we'll move at sunset. Tikal, will you warn Tails that we need his mind to plan out this?" He asked returning his eyes to the spirit, "The sooner he's here, the better."

Tikal nodded, and smiled. "I'm sure he'll be just as anxious as you to get the job done." She turned to Chaos and waved to him, signaling him to follow, already fading into light. "We'll be right back then. Don't do anything while we're gone!"

"Like we can..." Sonic growled, but both spirit and water creature had already vanished.

Knuckles turned to face the blue hedgehog, "Happy now?"

He received a droll look as the hero dug his fingers into the cracked stone around him, pulling himself back up to his feet, and the answer dripped with a cynical tone. "I'm just fuzzy all over, Knux..."

The echidna raised an eyebrow, "What you mean fuzzy all over?"

"Nothing, Knuckles...." Sonic simply rolled his eyes, his voice going from sarcastic to exasperated in seconds.

"Well, you should get a little rest and recover your legs. AND temporarily forget your little anger against Shadow's actions. He's not going to be pleased when he wakes up and find that the only thing that he cares about is mad with him for what he did."

"I don't care if he's pleased or not..." Sonic grumbled, his feet wobbling only barely but remaining still enough for him to stand, as though as he didn't try to walk. "The first thing I'm doing when I see him is grabbing him by the ears and smacking him into next week."

"You know that he'll feel hurt and betrayed, right? You could risk having him go insane without a way out. Right now Shadow is extremely unstable. Your next action with him will decide his future. A darker future or a brighter one... It's up to you, Sonic, to decide what will become of him."

"Dammit Knux!!" Sonic hissed. "Stop making me feel guilty for being angry at him!" He lost his hold for a moment, but caught it before anything unfortunate happened.

"And what? Leave you be so you can transform him into a mad demon bent on killing every single creature on the planet just because you're mad at him for something that he can't even control?"

"You and I both know I'll never be able to stay mad at him anyway," Sonic huffed and let himself slid down to the cave floor, sulking. "And even if I want to hit him, which I REALLY do right now, I wouldn't. I never hit Amy, and we all know just how bad she is....though I might disprove that when I find her, especially if she had a hand in this..."

"Well, Sonic. If she has a hand in any of this, then Shadow is going to kill her in the most painful way, or worse....you know that he can do that."

"Yeah...though you know I'd have to stop him..from killing her at least....." Sonic leaned heavily against the wall. "I guess him terrorizing her a little wouldn't be so bad though.."

"You should even.... be aware.... that he asked me to protect you from himself.... this means that when he wakes up, if he does, that he could be far too gone to care who are you or who we are. Shadow's mind.... is too much in turmoil right now... because he appears to have remembered..."

Now the hedgehog was silent, or mostly so. There was no dry humor in his voice now. "Guess...that means we're back to square one, huh?"

"I don't know, but there's still a speckle of hope. When I asked him of you he seemed more.... normal..."

"Yep..." Sonic closed his eyes, a frown on his face as he thought. "..once again, Shadow's a raging lunatic and I seem to be the key to his sanity. Why does my life sound like a bad soap opera?"

"I have no idea." Knuckles answered sitting next to him, "But I bet that you're loving this..."

"Oh yea, I just love having to worry that every time I say 'hi' to Shadow, I might get my throat ripped out and stuffed into my stomach. For joy." A finger lifted to make an un-ecstatic finger whirl.

"I wouldn't worry about that."

"Yeah, cause well, you're not me." Sonic opened one eye to regard the Echidna.

"I'm not saying that, Sonic. Shadow would do everything that's in his power to control his madness enough to avoid hurting you."

"That's reassuring..." Sonic closed the eyes again. "Though he'll probably end up with the old attitude again..."

"He also might want to forget again..."

"We can't MAKE him forget, Red. The first time was a complete accident."

"I'm not sure about that, Sonic. The mind is a powerful tool."

"So what?" Sonic looked toward his companion. "He couldn't keep himself from remembering before."

"That's because GUN came here and made him remember." The stronger male pointed out. "If GUN never looked for him in the first place he would have never remembered."

"...what makes you so sure? He remembered how to react to each of us, even before he knew our names." Sonic blinked. "We probably helped him along as much as GUN did."

"No, Sonic. We could never trigger memories not pertaining to us. Like I said, the mind is a powerful tool."

"Oh..." Sonic curled against cavern wall. "So I guess that means the only way to make sure Shadow stays totally sane is getting rid of GUN, more or less.." He growled under his breath. "Lovely..."

"Exactly. It's the only way for Shadow to live a somewhat normal and happy life."

"Well, then, O Wise One...how do we do it? GUN is practically world-wide; the only supposed leader is the President, but we know now they take orders from someone else."

"Then, why don't we go look for this guy and get the proof we need for the president to disband it?"

"With all the bases they have all over the world?" Sonic raised an eyebrow at him. "They could have hundreds of different leaders. Or hundreds of people who pose as said leader. Or both. Or....something."

"Well then, we'll have to play spy or get one of them."

"...Knuckles...they're called spies for a reason. They get in, they get out. They don't get caught." He said every word slowly, to make sure his friend got it. "They're spies, not thieves. Thieves get caught, spies don't."

"Hey, you're the hero. You're the one that can ask for one at the president without raising suspects."

"....ask...for a spy...." Sonic blinked at him. "Oh that just screams terrorism, Knux, you know that? What do you want me to do? Waltz up to the office and say, 'Hey Mr. Pres, I know your busy and all, but can I borrow one of your top spies for a quick break into our own military? Really? Thanks a lot.'?"

The echidna rolled his eyes, "You sure don't think when you talk, right? Why don't you go with something like 'Mr. President, I need a top spy at my service. The safety of the whole planet lay in my hands and in the ones of this spy'. I'm sure that the guy won't inquire much."

"You haven't met him. He's the nosiest person on the planet."

"Work him out with lies. After all, if Shadow and GUN keep at it, the whole world and the people in it will be in danger... you're forgetting what Shadow is capable of."

"I've forgotten nothing. I'm just saying it's a little odd...no, more than odd, to go to the President for a spy, when we're all known for never wanting his, or the militaries, assistance when it comes to this stuff." Sonic looked confused. "Is a spy the only thing you can think of? You're a treasure hunter, you're supposed to be clever..."

"I may be clever, Sonic. But I have no clue how a computer works.... that is where people usually store things. Not to tell that said machinery is deeply buried into whatever building they are in with a lot of security and all..."

"What happened to the good old days when the only thing machinery was good for was being smashed..." Sonic heaved a loud sigh of defeat. "....fine, a spy it is."

"Good then. As soon as we get Shadow back, we'll have to ask for one. I'm sure GUN won't say anything about us getting into a base to get out a dangerous weapon of mass destruction. Especially to the president. If he gets winds of that I'm sure that he'll end up having the thing investigated. And they won't like that."

Sonic groaned. "This is too complicated." He growled and slid sideways from the wall to the floor, muttering. "Can't we just go back to breaking in, breaking things, and breaking out?"

"We're not talking about Eggman here, Sonic. GUN is something far more dangerous than the doctor. You forget that they are supposedly under the direct orders of the president. A wrong move and we might be labeled as traitors."

"I know, that's the problem!" Sonic yanked on his ears in frustration. "We never had to be all resourceful before. I hate plotting! This is for a quiet, smart people!" He growled.

"Then let me do the plotting, Sonic." A figure in the dim light of the evening said as he stood in the entrance of the cave, "I already have a beginning of a plan."

Sonic rolled upwards, so that he was balancing on his head upside down to see the person behind him, recognizing the voice already. "Hey lil bro, how've you been? Haven't seen you since the cave, and Tikal never mentioned where you got to..."

"I tried to find info on GUN, but I had little luck..." He said walking into the cave, "However, I found out a map of the base at Prison Island." He finished waving a roll of paper in his hand to the air.

"Alright Tails!!" The hero whooped, then rolled over onto his stomach. "Good, you two can do all that...planning...thing.." He rolled over. "I need to go outside, this cave is starting to grind my nerves already, and I've barely been awake two hours today..." He shuddered.

Knuckles nodded, "Be careful, Sonic. GUN and Eggman are still looking for us."

"Dunno why GUN's still whining, they got Shadow." He got his feet and teetered, but made himself stay upright. "And the Robo-nutcase should've figured out by now that Shadow's not here...."

The fox unrolled the sheet of paper and laid it on the dry cavern's floor, "Well, GUN considers us inconvenient witness, and Eggman doesn't care if Shadow is back to GUN. He just wants to rid the world of people that can stop him. Especially you, Sonic." He said fixing the map with some little stones.

"As usual..." The hedgehog moved around his friends and to the entrance of the cave, "Call me back in when you guys are done, kay? I'll be right here, unless I get bored..." He left the opening, sitting down a little ways off and leaning back to look up at the sky.

It took at least an hour for Knuckles and Tails to plan out the raid, and while they were at it, Tikal was giving her advice to the two and Chaos was just idling around the cavern's entrance, glancing from time to time at the blue hedgehog.

Which meant as relaxed as Sonic felt outside, he was uncomfortable being watched constantly. At first he simply ignored the water being, but as time wore on, he would glance back at Chaos, checking to make sure he wasn't watching him. In the end, he sat up and started to move a little ways, trying to get behind a rock, and out of sight.

The water creature bent his head to the side, but mentally shrugged it off as another sort of strange behavior on the hedgehog's part; after all, they had been enemies until a few days ago that GUN literally invaded Angel Island.

Yet, he couldn't stop wondering a few things pertaining him.

"Don't need to be baby-sat..." Sonic growled, folded his arms over his chest. "Bet Knux sent him out here just to make sure I don't do anything stupid...." Spite welled in him. "I should go for a run, just to bug him..." But he tossed that idea to the side, his legs were against him after all.

Tails stood out of the cavern, looking for his hidden friend, "Sonic?" He asked sighing, "Come on! We're almost ready to go and we need to explain things to you!"

Chaos looked at the fox and with a hinted nod, returned in the cavern.

Sonic debated hiding for a while longer, but choose the faster method of simply getting this over with. If Shadow wasn't at stake he might've faked sleeping so Knuckles would have to come get him. Instead, he pushed himself up and wavered his way to the cave. "Yeah, yeah, coming..."

Knuckles looked up from the map, "This is pretty simple, but extremely dangerous. If we get caught, we can kiss Shadow good bye, ok?" He declared.

Sonic blinked. "And there's no plan that DOESN'T involved 'bye-bye Shadow' at the end, huh?" He used the wall to reach Knuckles side and plopped down.

"No. Now listen. You do this correctly and we can get Shadow out of there. You screw it up and Shadow is doomed to frozen sleep for at least another fifty years if he's lucky."

"No pressure, as always." The hero leaned on one hand. "So what are we doing?"

"You're going in with the pretense of getting Amy out. If you can, try to get some info out of her without letting her know that you're there not for her, but for Shadow.

While you're playing around with your over obsessed fan, Chaos and I will look around the base for him. Tails will follow you and help you in deceiving Amy, while Tikal will try and discover the exact location of Shadow then report it to either Chaos or myself. Got it?"

"Fake Amy out while you and co. spring Shadow? This won't involve anything besides letting her hug me, right?" Sonic looked a little ill. "I already have problems with that part."

"Do whatever you want, but you have to make her fall for it so she will tell you why she was there and what happened to Shadow after I lost track of him. This way, you'll not only cover us because the general will have his eyes on you like the rest of the base, but it will also clear Amy's position in this whole affair."

"If I find out she's the one behind all this, I'm not to be blamed when I tear her head off." Sonic grumbled, folding his arms.

"I'm not sure Shadow will be happy to hear that.... he's the one that wants her life. More than you...."

"Finders keepers." Sonic mumbled. "But I'm still clinging to the hope that she didn't plan this, I'd hate having to beat the hell of her for it...."

"Well, she already did that more than one time. I'll not be surprised if she's involved in this one too."

Sonic heaved another sigh. "How will we know when to drop the act?"

"When Tikal will tell you so or when the alarms of the base will go off."

"Ah..." He looked back and forth between the kit and Guardian. "Anything else I should know?"

Tails looked in his eyes, "Just be careful Sonic. If they discover you, everything will be harder. I'll be helping you along the act, but I can't fool Amy as you can. Everyone knows that she hangs from every word you say."

"As long as everything I say is what she wants to hear." Sonic groaned, rubbing his temples. "And from what I've heard from her so far, she wants me to 'forget Shadow's trickery and love her again.'"

"Then make her think you're no longer interested in him." Knuckles suggested.

"Not as easy as it sounds." Sonic laughed. "You know, I just remembered. You waking him up defeats the whole purpose of him seeing me first thing when he wakes up..."

The echidna grinned, "Who said that I would wake him up?" He asked, then his grin faded to a serious expression, "He'll probably be out for several days. Weeks if he's as bad off as Tikal says."

Sonic winced. "The tranquilizers got him THAT bad..? Or is it the Drainage too...?"

The Guardian sighed deeply, "It would be easier if it was only one of them, but being both... well..." He trailed off, unable to finish his sentence. Shadow, having to deal with both the excessive sedative and the drainage, could very well die after a long and loosing battle...

Sonic frowned. "Before, I asked him if he makes his own Energy, like the Chaos Emeralds, or if he's just got a little store that has to be filled..." The blue hedgehog looked toward Knuckles pointedly. "Do you think we could use the Emeralds maybe? To help him?"

"I don't know, Sonic. I never dealt with a being that lived on Chaos Energy. Sure, Chaos is too," He said looking at the water creature, "But he's different. He can rest into the Master to recuperate. Shadow can't do that..."

"Yeah, no one seems to know....." He sighed, and held his head. "And unless we can figure it out, we're back to waiting once we actually find him and get him out again..."

The echidna placed his hand on the blue hedgehog's shoulder, "Don't worry, we'll find a way, but first we have to take him out of there."

"Right..." Sonic readjusted his seat. "So, when the date with doom scheduled?"

"As soon as we get there." Tails explained, rolling up his map. The kitsune looked strangely fixated, similar to how the youngster got when there was a project he needed to work on as soon as possible.

"And when are we leaving......?" Sonic asked, leaning in.

The fox stood up and looked out of the cavern, "Now."


	11. Chapter 11 — Rescue From GUN!

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Chapter 11 - Rescue From GUN!

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Amy smiled, despite her pained leg. Her nose and jaw had both been healed rather well by now, and she was rather enjoying herself, though the stiffness and slight pangs of hurt traveled up the injured limb as she moved down the hall.

Shadow was gone.

She could've broken into song and dance right there, for her plan had worked perfectly, with the help of the commander. Everything had been as she'd suspected: Shadow was a mindless, evil killer, who held extraordinary power, and was using Sonic's good heart to protect himself from the proper authorities.

And now Sonic was free to be hers again.

The Tornado had been spotted requesting permission to enter and receive Amy, implying that they had come to take her home. Amy, only Amy. How nice it was-she mused to herself-not to hear 'Shadow' in there. Just Amy...

They had forgotten him already.

As soon as the Tornado flew over the island's forest, Chaos, Knuckles, and Tikal jumped down from the plane according to the plan; now it was up to Sonic and Tails to fool Amy and the whole base, giving the trio enough time to find Shadow and take him away. Of course, Amy was far too busy watching the plane descend, eyes bright. She could see Sonic riding at his usual mount, the right-hand wing. Though he didn't use his famous discount, leaping down from the sky, she didn't mind all that much.

He was here to see just her.

"Amy!" He hopped down, wobbling a little, still not the best on his feet yet, but she didn't see past the smile he sent in her direction. "You had us worried!" She almost tackled him right there, but her leg made that temptation hard to follow through. Instead, she flung herself into his embrace when he got close enough.

"Sonic! You're alright!!"

"'Course I am! You're the one with the bandage around your leg." He hugged her gently. "What happened?"

Amy looked down at her leg, "Well, there was this big, scary, wild animal that attacked me. If it wasn't for one of the soldiers of this base I could have been killed. He took me here and the medical staff took care of me. They were all so kind!" She explained.

"Why were you out where a wild animal could get at you?" Sonic questioned, pushing her back to gaze at her, while Tails got down from the Tornado, readying another seat, like they were going to take her aboard. "You know well enough which forests are dangerous. Why go into one?"

"I was lost... that's all..." She answered piteously, leaning into Sonic's chest and mentally grinning, "I was so scared!"

Sonic rewrapped his arms around her, silently feeling a little better, though something told him it was all a lie, something far in the back of his head. Not that it wasn't insanely obvious, but still, he couldn't fully tell how much of her babble was a lie. "How could you scare me like that? We go to your house; you haven't been there at all...you had me about to go bust down Eggman's doors for you!"

"I'm sorry, Sonic!" She said standing back and grasping his hands, "Shall we go home?"

There was a small explosion coming from the Tornado, and the fox that was working on it yelped and fell to the ground; there was a pillow of thick black smoke coming out from the front of the plane, where the engine was.

"NOT AGAIN!" Tails screamed throwing his arms up in the air, "This is the third time this week!"

"Ugh..." Sonic rolled his eyes. "Tails, I love ya 'lil bro, but you've GOT to stop breaking your things." He grinned at Amy, as though sharing a very private joke. "Kids."

The fox looked at him, "It's not my fault if the store keeps telling me that the part I ordered is too hard to find. I had to resort to use the old one, and this is the third time that it's broken after a long trip. It'll take me hours to repair it and clean the engine!" He protested more with the plane and the store than with Sonic.

Sonic clasped the pink hedgehogette's hands close and nosed her. "Will you excuse me? I must tend to the child..." Then he let go and went to Tails side, leaning over his shoulder, speaking just loud enough for Amy to hear. "Why don't you just build the piece? You're the genius."

Then he whispered, eyes still on the engine. "It's not REALLY broken, right? Fast getaways are crucial here..."

"Because I'm not a blacksmith." He replied to the earlier jab, then he tilted his head and feigned to look at the engine, "Don't worry. It's a bluff. I had this planned to have more time at our disposal." He whispered back.

"Thank you for being the smart one...." Sonic breathed, and then straightened, speaking louder as he began moving away. "Well....maybe they have one here. I'll go check." As he went past Amy, he smiled. "Want to come along, or sit and wait for him to get done? I don't want you to hurt your leg."

Amy smiled at him, "No. I can manage if you help me along. And maybe the people in here might as well know what you're looking for." She then turned to look at Tails, "By the way, Tails, what piece do you need?"

The fox looked at her and then fished inside the engine; a few seconds later he extracted something and launched it at the blue hedgehog.

Sonic caught it right out of the air, looking strangely cool without meaning to, since the sun hit him just right at that second. Then he examined the machinery, looking at what seemed like an oily spider. "What the....?" He raised an eyebrow. "I guess they'll know what it is..." The fox had already ducked back inside, giving Sonic a reason not to ask him.

He offered the female hedgehog his arm. "Shall we then?"

The pink hedgehog eagerly agreed with that and grabbed her hero's arms, metaphorically drooling in sheer glee, "Oh, Sonic. Thanks!" She said giggling happily.

-----

While Sonic distracted Amy, and pretty much the rest of the base, Tikal zipped through the corridors of plumbing in the base, darting to and fro in search for the end of the trail caused by Shadow's Chaos Energy signal. She could sense the hedgehog's being, but it was so faint, she feared she'd never locate it exactly. It felt like they'd dragged him all over the base, and then stuck him in the middle of the maze. It was becoming agony to be in light form for so long, but she couldn't take her normal one. Not yet.

As Tikal flew ahead, Knuckles and Chaos were slowly making their way through the air ducts, which were wide enough for being of their size to crawl in them. The water creature, momentarily in puddle form, stopped in an intersection and pondered with way he should go; right or left?

In both directions the Chaos Signature was of the same intensity...

A good way away, Tikal froze, a chill going over her. It only came when there were vast amounts of Chaos Energy that had been released somewhere, and now the space they had filled was without. It was the feeling she got when she was nearby someone who had used all of the Energy in the Chaos Emeralds. An empty, hollow feeling...

Down. Straight down.

She faded out of the pipes and to the floor of the corridor she been passing over. The feeling got stronger as she came closer to the floor, and she wavered, the shell-like sensation upsetting all her other senses. A great deal of energy gone...

She went through the floor now, coming out in almost pitch blackness, lit only by herself. The tug became stronger immediately, and she moved forward, finding sharp gaps of light beaming into the darkness. Then she froze.

She had found him.

And she did not like what she saw.

The black hedgehog was still tied up with rounds and rounds of chains and rope around his torso and over his shoulders; his arms were secured behind his back and against it with an almost impossible amount of iron and cord, his legs were bound together painfully tight, the bindings going over his knees and the thick gag was by now wet by the saliva, but still securely firm in it's place.

There was no movement, save for the shallow breaths rising and falling raggedly in his chest, and the small trails of blood all over his body coming out from the small wounds caused by the bindings.

Tikal immediately went into her more solid form, rushing to the hedgehog's side, inspecting the injuries, taking his face in her hands and checking for any head damage, biting back tears. Then she transformed back into her light state and rushed as quickly as she could to the shafts, where Knuckles and Chaos were, crying in her mind, because she knew Chaos would hear.

The water beast stopped again; he could hear her cry.

He formed his head and turned around to face the Guardian, then he returned in his puddle form and quickly made his way towards the spirit; however, he kept his pace slow enough for the echidna to follow him without making too much noise.

Tikal wasn't so considerate. Her wailing had escalated, and the moment Chaos and Knuckles were within sight, she became her solid form of the Echidna girl again, sobbing.

"You won't believe what they've DONE to him!!!" She lamented, eyes full of water.

Chaos immediately rushed to her side, taking to his normal form again and starting to rub away her tears, trying to mentally comfort her.

Knuckles reached her and placed a hand on her shoulder, giving a gentle squeeze to reassure her that everything was as ok as it could go, "It's ok, Tikal. It's ok." He shushed.

"Not okay..." She mourned, covering her face, "Not okay...." She sniffled, trying to keep herself under control, shaking violently. "They have him in chains....and he was bleeding...his mind was horrible, so dark...." She shivered. "He's on the lowest level, the holding cells...that's why we couldn't find him before..."

The echidna squeezed her shoulder again, "Lead the way. Once we're there, go to Tails and inform him to prepare to take off, ok? The rest leave it to me and Chaos." He said with a reassuring smile. Yet, deep inside, he was despising these humans for having made Shadow go mad and have him in chains without at least minimal medical attention.

Tikal nodded, and returned to being a light sphere, sniffling only mentally, for she couldn't truly cry in this form. She began to retrace her steps, quickly though, so every once in a while, she had to back track for Knuckles, since he couldn't phase like she could. She had to find more roundabout methods of getting him to places.

Finally, after several turns and descents, Knuckles came across a grate facing a dark environment, "Is this the place?" He asked the spirit.

A small sniffle echoed from the female Echidna, as she switched back to flesh, and she nodded, trying to not to burst into tears again. "I'm sorry...I know it's so selfish of me...but do I have to go back inside...?" She was trembling, but making a very firm effort to look brave.

The echidna smiled, "Just tell us where to find him, then you can go back to Tails, ok?"

She swallowed, and nodded again. "He's straight ahead, it's dark, but there's nothing in your way. He's behind the bars, there's a lock on the far wall, but you could just send Chaos in to get him...though I advise no one to go in there alone...."

Knuckles tilted his head, "Why?"

"It's...not something you want to see in the dark..." She bit her lips, shaking. "...all by yourself...there's a wave of sadness in there...it hurts..."

"I understand; we'll have to break in then. I'll give you five minutes before I do that, So you can warn Sonic and Tails. Is that ok with you or you need more time?"

"I'll be alright..." She whispered, "I can sense Sonic from here, and Tails was to stay in the front of the building..." She transformed into light, bobbing in the air, ready to leave, but staying in case there was anything else.

The Guardian nodded, "Then five minutes it will be. See you later." He said opening the grate and jumping down after Chaos, who had just passed trough the grill thanks to his body composed by water.

And Tikal zipped away, first in the direction of Sonic, for it would take him longer to get out of the base than it would Tails to start the plane's engines. She found him shortly, following Amy's lead through the base.

"Are you sure this is the way to the mechanics' quarters, Ames? It just looks like a dead end to me..." He was speaking as though he was confused, but Tikal could sense anger and frustration in his thoughts. He wanted to get away from the girl.

The spirit stopped in the air duct and let a small burst of Chaos Energy in the direction of the blue hedgehog; they had decided that if he had to get out of there straight away, he would be warned by Tikal with a Chaos Energy signal that only he, between the hedgehogs, could feel. Then she zipped away to get to Tails and warn him too.

The plan worked well, for Amy noticed nothing.

"Sorry, Sonic..." The pink girl giggled, putting a hand to her mouth, and blushing. "I guess I picked a wrong turn..." She looked to him, about to try and goad a kiss or something from her hero, when she realized he wasn't looking at her.

"Sonic?"

He turned back. "Sorry, I...think I just saw one of those mechanics back that way!" He grinned, and let go of her hand. "I'll go check and be right back, kay?" Then he was gone, and Amy angrily stomped her foot, the one connected to her injured leg, and winced.

"Darn it!"

While the blue hedgehog was running out of the base, Tikal finally reached the small fox, "Tails! Tails!" She exclaimed still in her orb form and as soon as she was sure that nobody was around, "Prepare the Tornado for a quick take off!"

Tails grinned and pulled his head out from under the engine hood. "Thought you'd never ask!" He shut the top and clambered quickly in the pilot seat, revving the engine as soon as he was there. "How long we got?"

"Now." Sonic slid to a stop beside him. The kit grinned.

"You got your feet back, I see..."

The hero laughed. "Amazing how quick recovery is when you're running from someone, isn't it?" He looked to Tikal. "Where're the others?"

Tikal looked at him with tears stained cheeks, "They're getting Shadow out of that horrible place..." She said trying to not sound scared and sad.

"Tikal..." Sonic caught the tone quickly, knowing she wanted to hide it. "What happened? Shadow hasn't gone insane has he? You said he'd be asleep..." He put his hands on her shoulders, trying to calm her.

"He's still alive, Sonic, but in a deep coma and his mind is still in turmoil..." She answered, looking down.

"You looked inside his mind?" Sonic asked, frowning. She should've known better than any of them how troubled Shadow was already; how bad he was now...well, he didn't want to even try to imagine what she'd seen.

"Hate, sorrow, pain... he is worse than Chaos when he was released from the Master Emerald..." She finally wailed, "He's being held into the lowest level of the base with little light and heavily chained.... He's bleeding all over and barely breathing!"

Sonic shushed her, holding her gently, soothing her. "Don't worry, Tikal, he's coming out of there. Knux'll be pissed, but he'll bring Shadow out and we can fix GUN so they never do this to someone again....."

"It... It was so horrible to see him like that! Just left there to die in pitch darkness! How can they be so cruel?!"

"Shhh...." He sighed, looking toward the base. "I suppose if you think someone's a monster, you'll treat them like one, whether they deserve it or not..."

--------

If the red echidna had been on the surface with Sonic, he might have agreed. In fact, he would have, wholeheartedly. Since he was not present however, but in the lowest level of the base, Knuckles instead looked at Chaos and nodded; it was time to act.

With a powerful swing from the water creature, the lock of the cell was literally torn apart, and in an instant, there were distant sirens going off; ignoring the alarm, both Chaos and Knuckles rushed inside to the very faint heap in the middle of the room.

When the Guardian had heard of Shadow's state from Tikal, he'd guessed that he was fairly bad off. What he saw however, was worse than he'd expected. The dark hedgehog looked like hell, literally. Knuckles growled low, and hefted the chained creature upright, tearing some of the heavier things away with Chaos's help, so he wouldn't be weighed down.

"Let's get out of here," He grumbled to the liquid being, rushing out into the corridors, relying on his memory to guide him back to the door, and Sonic's far away Energy signature. He let Chaos take the lead, knowing the water monster could find the others more easily.

Chaos almost flew, taking down whatever came into his path with speed that was hardly imaginable to give to him; then, something pink put itself in the middle of his track, hammer in hand and unaware that Knuckles had stopped behind a corner as soon as he saw her.

"Chaos!" She exclaimed over the blaring of the alarm, "I won't let you get to that black monster and free him! I won't let you spoil my plan to get back Sonic!"

She was apparently oblivious to the fact that Shadow had been already recovered from the prisons.

Knuckles set the dark hedgehog down slowly, and, keeping a hand on a bound shoulder to make the unconscious furry remain steady, peered around the corner to gaze on the scene. The hedgehogette looked determined enough; Sonic must've played his part well.

Too well.

"I've finally gotten him to love me again! He's mine!! That horrible creature will never hurt him again, because I'll have him!!" Chaos looked like he was going to stomp and kill the girl hedgehog right there.

Indeed, the water creature was hell bent on killing her, or at least hurting her badly enough to filter out some steam; it was since that day that she brought all those humans onto Angel Island that he wanted to do so...

He narrowed his eyes and clenched his watery fists; this was going to be a payback match...

Or it would've been.

A fight would've taken too long, Knuckles decided, and dashed out from his hiding place, cracking Amy hard enough to give her a long nap. Then he tossed her over his shoulder, and motioned for Chaos to take Shadow.

"Another day, Chaos. We've got a time limit to beat." The water creature nodded and scooped the black bounded hedgehog in his arms and ran after the echidna; he was right. There was no time now for revenge...

Knuckles burst out the doors, certain that any second, soldiers would appear. Strangely enough, they seemed to have over-estimated the system, since the humans they did see were racing back and forth, unsure and lost. The two made it to the Tornado unscathed, surprisingly.

Tikal looked relieved on seeing Chaos with Shadow in hands, but she was saddened upon seeing him like that; in the dark she only saw little, but now that he was under the light of the sun he appeared.... worse than she had thought...

Sonic stared and ran forward, pressing his hands against the dark form, trembling. Shadow looked awful, worse than that. Without a word, he helped Chaos tug the bound, prone hedgehog into the plane, followed by Amy. Sonic sat on the inside, with the two unconscious furries, and Knuckles took a stance on the wing.

Tikal looked at the group on the plane, "I'll follow you flying, Chaos swimming through the sea." She explained, then she looked at Knuckles, "Where will you be headed?"

"Do you remember a little while back, when we crossed over the ocean? The one before GUN came to the Island. There's a string of isles there. It's not chartered, so we should be safe for a short time." He looked toward the pilot. "Tails knows where..."

The fox nodded and glanced back at his passengers and noticed that the black furry still had the gag in his mouth; it seemed that Knuckles had no time at all to free him completely. Sighing, he pressed a few switches and the plane started moving; soon, it was into the air and directed to the place the Guardian had mentioned while Chaos followed by sea and Tikal by air.

Sonic himself was already picking at Shadow's bindings, having particular trouble with the thick iron cuff GUN had placed on both arms and legs. They were too heavy for him to break, and there were no noticeable keyholes. He focused more on the ropes and finally removed the gag, sighing.

The dark hedgehog's head slumped back; he was like dead save for the faint breathing and the slow beating of his heart. His body was barely warm and he was unresponsive to everything Sonic did with him.

Sonic messed with the cuffs again for a moment, but found nothing he could use to open them. Knuckles finally reached over and took the arm cuffs center connection, than crushed it, doing the same to those on the legs, though he couldn't break the actual metal surround the wrists and ankles, unless he wanted to risk hurting the hedgehog more. Sonic rolled his eyes at the other, but mouthed a 'thanks' and resumed making the dark creature as secure as possible.

Tails lowered the plane so much that the wheels were nearly touching the water, "We'll be there in a hour or so. In the meantime, Sonic, get comfortable." He said over the faint roaring of the plane and the rush of the wind, which made the blood fly away from the black hedgehog's body.

However, the wind wasn't enough to dry the blood of the cuts and they just kept bleeding slowly.

Which meant of course, Sonic couldn't relax enough to be comfortable. Not while Shadow was suffering, however little the cuts probably hurt. Instead, he fretted over the dark furry, shifting him gently so he sat upright, leaning against his side, waiting impatiently for them to arrive, so that he could dress the wounds and lay Shadow down somewhere.

A hour later, finally the small group of little islands appeared in the horizon; Tails turned his head, only just so he could still steer, and shouted behind him to his passengers, "Sonic! We'll land in a few minutes!"

"Yes!" Sonic leaned forward out of the side of the plane to look, five dots of land winking up at him from the blue sea. There were probably a few more to the group than that, but these were the only ones big enough to see from this height.

"Land on the one second farthest to the left, alright Tails? It has more caves, and trees. Better cover and fruit." Knuckles told the young kit. The young fox nodded and turned his plane towards the said island, looking for a possible spot where to land; there was a small patch of land near one of the beaches, but it was pretty short.

"You better hold something, landing will be pretty rough." He said as he prepared for one of the hardest come downs of his life.

Knuckles immediately gripped the plane harder, and Sonic braced himself, holding onto Shadow, and Amy, though loosely, ready for the worst. Tikal who had been flying alongside the plane, quickly descended to the shore to act as a sort of landing beacon.

The plane landed and it came to a sudden halt that almost overturned it; the pilot sighed and relaxed in his seat, "Whooo... that was really close!" He commented.

He turned around and looked at Sonic, and seeing that Shadow was still in chains, he smiled at him, "I have a shear in the plane along a med kit. As soon as we find a good spot to hide the Tornado and ourselves, I'll get them. Ok?"

"Yeah...here Knux, help me with Amy.." He picked up the girl's limp form and carefully placed her into the Guardian's arms, taking Shadow out of the plane by himself. "Good thing we got him out of there before they did anything else to him..." The hero muttered, then looked to his scarlet companion.

"Where to, Red?"

The echidna looked at the interior of the island, "There's a well hidden cave that way. There's also a small spring and a clearing covered by the trees for the Tornado."

"Ok..." Sonic hefted Shadow up onto his back, and began walking, keeping his pace slow for the passenger on his back, and so Knuckles could keep even. "Think you know anything that might help with all the cuts? I mean, I doubt there are many herbs on these little islands we can use, but you never know..."

The Guardian looked at his forest surroundings, "I don't know, Sonic. I have to look..."

They soon reached the place he had mentioned, and Tails busied himself on parking the plane under a few trees; then he fished around and brought out a shear and a medical kit, placing them on the wings.

"Sonic. I won't be able to help you until I'm done camouflaging the Tornado."

Sonic waved it off, "Don't worry lil bro, I'm starting to get the hang of playing doctor with Shadow. As long as he's unconscious, he's an okay patient..." He propped the dark creature against a tree nearby and, retrieving the supplies and tool left for him, started his long task.

Most of the cuts were hidden by the metal tidings still left on Shadow's shoulders and arms, so Sonic started with them. The shears worked well enough in removing the chains and broken cuffs, but various bruises and deep gashes appeared as he took them off. With a sigh, sympathy welling up toward the other hedgehog, Sonic began to clean and dress the various injuries.

Knuckles almost threw the pink hedgehog on the ground, but restrained himself and just lowered her a little roughly, "Sonic. I'm going to collect food and see if I can find some herbs for Shadow. I'll be back in a few hours." He said grabbing a bag that was offered by Tails and disappearing in the surrounding forest.

Sonic looked after him, then down toward the girl he'd left behind, wondering if he should take care of the hard bump Knux had given her on the back of her head. Really, it wasn't dangerous or anything, just a small rise amidst her quills, and her leg was well cared for. She didn't really need any treatment at all. Not like Shadow had.

The black hedgehog, now free from his bindings, shifted his head, which fell forwards and on his chest, and mumbled out something garbled which caught Sonic's attention quickly, since Knuckles had guessed that Shadow wouldn't be coherent for a while. A few days at the very least. Shadow even rolling over wasn't high on the list of 'right away'. So Sonic noticed, and turned back, confused.

The ebony furry went silent again, but not before taking a small shaking breath and release a small tear from his right eye. Sonic smiled to himself, and gently brushed the tear away, scolding himself for even thinking Shadow might wake up so soon. The dark hedgehog was tough, but not that tough. He finished the last of the bandaging, and put that away, trying to keep his eyes from drifting to the prone form.

Even if his body was almost dead, his mind was overworking itself once again as he battled his own self for the supremacy of one or the other desire. Only this time, his madness was far much stronger, and the innocent part was feeling weak and desperate, wishing just to die and never feel the pain and hate again.

The sapphire hedgehog lingered nearby, watching as his charge slept. If you were only looking at Shadow's face, you would have never guessed the turmoil and horrors held in his mind and past. Sonic knew enough to know he wasn't sleeping peacefully, and stayed nearby, watching, but keeping a distance. Why, he didn't know, but he did.

There was a twitch, then a visible convulsion that made him slide to the ground, like he thought that he was still held in chains and was trying to free himself; even if unconscious and on the brink of death, Shadow was still fighting. Now Sonic moved, gently tugging the other hedgehog into an embrace, not sure why, but hushing the darker furry and making soothing sounds.

The fox, having finished his camouflage job on his plane, walked up to him, "How is he?" He asked concerned.

"He was struggling...think he's dreaming, maybe?" Sonic rubbed one of the dark ears affectionately. "You'd never think he was a homicidal maniac by watching him sleep...on a good night, I mean."

Tails looked at the black hedgehog, "Shadow's past is not normal, everything that happened gave him a personality that you could well determine it to be split in two. One is the innocent Shadow, the one you saw after the memory loss, the other is the killer filled by hate, sorrow and rage. This might also be the reason he's not being able to control his thoughts and actions when mad...."

"So you're saying the guy I'm holding is skitso?" Sonic held his head in one hand, looking like a headache had formed within seconds, which it had. "And I thought this relationship couldn't get any bumpier."

"Well, he might have two personalities, but they're still connected to each other. The fact that you stopped him and that he told Knuckles to protect you from him prove that. However, I don't know how long this will be kept up. Once they divide, we won't be able to unify them back together into the original one."

"Two Shadows, one body, and they'll both probably screw it up..." Sonic growled, "I need Tylenol and a strong drink. No ice, no water, and a tall glass."

Tails smiled at his friend, "Don't worry, Sonic. There's still hope to unify them back together."

"And are we sure we want to do that, Tails?" Sonic peered at the younger male through his fingers. "I mean, do we even know which personality would turn out dominant? Or will they be merged completely? A killer who thinks like an innocent, or the other way around?"

"We destroy the target of his hate, and maybe we'll be able to at least calm down the killer."

"What makes you so sure...?" Sonic gave the kit a skeptical, you-know-something-I-don't look.

"Sonic, do you remember how he was when he lost his memory?"

"Confused...kiddish..." Sonic counted off the words on his hand. "Hyper."

"Did he ever show madness, hate, rage, desire of killing?"

"No." Sonic blinked. "Not then. But that was when he forgot the other self, not bonded with it."

"Then GUN came, and he remembered. If GUN never came, he would have never remembered anything. Right?"

"That's what Knuckles said." Sonic made a gesture to continue.

The fox nodded in approval, "Now, Sonic, we know that GUN is what triggers Shadow to his mad self, but what would happen if we get rid of them?"

"I feel like I'm in school again..." Sonic grumbled, but answered anyway. "I guess they wouldn't trigger his past anymore, so he'd stay the more naive way...though it probably won't be that simple.."

"Well, he would still remember, but he wouldn't be triggered into his madness again. Don't you think so, Sonic?"

"That's what we're hoping for, ain't it?" The hero sighed, looking to the other hedgehog who still snoozed in his arms. "I'll give you my full support in any plan you come up with for this kid," Sonic muttered, waving a hand. "As long as someone dying isn't an inevitable result, I'm game." He shifted Shadow gently, to lean against him more. "And as long as Shadow doesn't go psycho. That'd be a serious plus..."

"I know how you feel over the loss of lives, Sonic. But I can't promise you anything. As for Shadow's madness... well... you're the only one that can keep him calm..."

"I'm thinking about sticking him into a straightjacket...then I won't have to calm him down, I can wait for him to exhaust himself." Sonic mumbled, mussing the dark quills of the unconscious creature.

"Seeing how he was chained up, I don't think that a simple straightjacket would do in keeping him still...."

"This is true..." Sonic sighed, still playing with the coal-silk quills. "I suppose I'll just have to get him a leash and every time he starts acting up, drag him home or something...no, wait, he'd just Chaos Control....darn..."

Tails chuckles, "I guess that at least he will give you a chance to talk sense into him, seeing how you two love each other..." He trailed off, a little embarrassed on the argument.

"Talking takes forever, and it takes longer every time I have to do it. Cuffing him to a thick metal pole somewhere would work better..." He growled, prodding the sleeping head. "And it would save time."

"Haven't you said that he would just Chaos Control away?"

"Drug him? I don't know..." He poked the creature again, trying to gain a response, for no real reason. "I'm going off the top off my head, Tails. This is why I'm not the one who comes up with the plans to save the world."

"You never have followed our plans. And you always succeed without them. I'm sure that when the time comes, you'll fare well." The small fox concluded returning to his beloved plane to check on it, leaving the two hedgehogs alone. Sonic watched him go, commenting in his mind on how obsessed Tails was with the plane. He brought the thing specially ordered oil, for crying out loud. Perhaps he should've just gotten the kid a handheld...

With a shrug he looked back to the darker furry, delivering another poke, planning to give up if this one yielded no results.

And some result showed; Shadow faintly grimaced for a second before returning to be motionless. Then, a few seconds later, his mouth moved faintly, as if trying to talk, but not having the strength to do that.

Sonic blinked, and tried to look closer, tilted the other's chin upward toward him to see better, and decipher the sleep-weighed words. The dark hedgehog continued indeed, but his lips were barely moving, making it hard to read them.

Sonic pulled Shadow up to him, supporting his charge's head with an arm propped on his knee, and peered at him, moving his lips in a mimicking fashion to try and figure out what was being said.

Tears of sorrow started spilling from Shadow's eyes as the dark hedgehog tried to better portray his wish; everything had become too much to take for him.

Pain, sorrow, hate, rage, madness....

He was tired, and his new other self was becoming too strong to hold; better to end it now. That was what he was asking. He was asking to someone, whoever was near him to see his mouthed request, to slay him quickly before it was too late.

'Kill me.'

That was what he silently repeated.

Sonic froze, blinking rapidly and in disbelief. Then he drew Shadow into a gentle embrace, burying his head into the crook between the shoulder and neck, suddenly frightened and more worried than ever. However, more than the pitiful plea, Shadow was like a rag doll; his head lolled back and his arms just fell on the ground limp.

Sonic didn't let go, only holding him closer, and shaking. He didn't want Shadow to give up like this, to act like this. So him gave him the only answer he could.

"No."

The black hedgehog wasn't listening though, and he just kept pleading silently for death; it was too much for him. Really too much. He had reached the end of the line, and soon, he would give in into his madness and he would truly not be able to stop or be stopped.

So everything came to a decision.

To give up life.

It would be better for him and the whole world.

"No...never..." Sonic shivered and hugged the darker hedgehog, trying to ignore his now burning eyes by burying them further into the midnight pelt.

There were faint foot steps resounding in the air, though they weren't well heard, and they stopped in front of the blue hedgehog, "Sonic?"

That was Knuckles, who had come back quite before the time term he had fixed for himself, with a bag full of fruit and a few, maybe, useful herbs and plants. Sonic let go slowly, still mostly clutching the other to himself, and when he was sure he wouldn't cry or embarrass himself, he looked the Guardian in the eyes, still feeling them sting with tears, but less so now.

"Hey Red...how'd the gathering go?" His gaze fell to the bag.

"It went better than I thought, but why are you clutching Shadow like that? He's not dead after all..." He commented looking at the faintly mouthing hedgehog.

The words 'He sure wants to be.' hung on Sonic's tongue for a moment, and he opened his mouth to say them, but swallowed, keeping his silence. Instead his grip tightened again, and he looked down and away.

"I'm just...worried, that's all...."

The echidna sighed deeply to keep his calm, "Sonic. If there is something, ANYTHING wrong with Shadow, you have to tell me. Even the littlest bit of information on his condition, both physically and mentally, will help me on saving his life." He pressed.

"It's nothing...I'm just..." Sonic's shoulders slumped. "I need to move around some that's all....seeing him like this...is depressing. I'm not thinking straight...." Yet try as he might, he couldn't force his arms to unravel from around Shadow.

Knuckles lowered the bag on the ground and crouched in front of the blue hedgehog, placing both his hands on his shoulders, "Sonic. You're not telling me the truth. I saw Shadow mouth something when I came back, but unfortunately he stopped before I could understand." He said shaking him a little and making him look in his eye.

The azure furry let his gaze flicker to that of the Guardian's, then kept his eyes on the ground, unsure of how to voice the phrase. Coming from Shadow's mouth, it had been a blunt request, and in its simplicity, was enough. Somehow though, Sonic couldn't bring himself to voice them as Shadow had. Instead his ears folded and he tried to curl in on himself, and the dark hedgehog.

The Guardian gave another light shake to the hedgehog, "Sonic, you have to tell me! It might affect Shadow's healing."

A small sniffle escaped, and the hero cringed beneath his companion's hands, trying to draw away, perhaps to hide. "He told me...to kill him....." Sonic breathed, shaking. "So I told the truth the first time. I am worried. Wouldn't you be..?" Another sniff.

Knuckles felt his blood froze and a chill run down his spine, disbelief in his expression and seeping into his voice. "He wants.... to die?"

"That's what he said...." The hedgehog murmured, and he buried his face back into the dark-furred body, this time at the back of the shoulder. "I had trouble hearing it too."

The echidna finally got his bearings back, then he squeezed the hedgehog's right shoulder, "Sonic, you stay with him and keep a sharp eye on him. Whenever he starts wishing death again, comfort him. I'm going to talk with Tikal to see if we can do something before he wakes up....or dies."

With those words, he stood up and ran away, towards the shore, where he knew that the spirit was waiting for Chaos to reach the island.

Sonic looked after the retreating figure and then switched to Shadow, still fast asleep, watching him sadly. If it had been a different situation, perhaps he would've just left this to Knuckles; but Shadow's state seemed to be worsening, not in body so much as mind. If saving him meant loosing him, or the other way around, when Sonic worked with the hedgehog alone, he was fairly willing to bring in some help.

The dark hedgehog twitched around again, and again he mouthed the two pleading words; the situation in his mind was degenerating, and the body was starting to notice it with shivers, hot temperatures and sweat. Not to mention that his wounds just kept bleeding, slowly staining the white bandages.

Which left the cerulean hedgehog at somewhat of a loss. Even as he held the other, trying to reassure him, he felt as though nothing he did was helping in the least. He couldn't seem within the other's mind to know the problems happening, but he knew whatever was there wasn't going to give up quickly.

Suddenly, Shadow's mouth twitched into a small smirk and he let loose a silent chuckle, then, again, he repeated the askance of before.

Sonic blinked, not expecting the smile. Something about it, and the laughter, made him want to move away from the darker form, and run perhaps, if he could. Getting away would've been enough. Instead, repeating the same answer as before, he held on, trying to squash the feeling for retreat.

The black hedgehog let out another creepy silent laugh, then he immediately switched back on pleading for death; a few seconds later there was another series of twitches, accompanied by a small convulsion. After that display, Shadow went back to be motionless.

And Sonic shuddered, trying to ignore the episode. It was uncomfortable enough to know Shadow to have been divided into two different personalities, he didn't want to witness him switching back and forth. This was hard enough with him wanting to die; he didn't want the other to truly go insane.

Minutes passed with nothing moving, then, a whispering sound; it was the black hedgehog, which was desperately calling for Sonic. A last, and desperate call for help before the grin reappeared well visible for a second; then his face was back to be emotionless.

Sonic held in a whimper, and tightened his hold, refusing to let himself look toward Shadow's face again, for fear that the smile, or worse, the pleading expression would return. When Shadow was better, and he was sure the darker being wouldn't go nuts on him for it, Sonic would have to smack him for all of this.

Knuckles rushed surfaced from the trees with Tikal right behind him, "How is he?" He asked stopping in front of the hedgehog.

'Which one? So far I've had a crying child and an insane murderer in my arms. Pick a personality, and I'll let you know.' Sonic thought bitterly. "Still much the same, I guess..."

Tikal sighed in relief, "Good, we're still in time. Now, hurry and bring him into the cavern while we get the necessary supplies for the rite. We have little time before the murderer destroys the other personality!" She said glancing at the echidna and nodding her approval. Knuckles nodded back and ran into the forest to look for a few important things.

"What rite? An exorcism?" Sonic hefted the dark body up with him as he stood, wrapping his arms around the form as well as he could. "I don't think there's a demon hiding in Shadow's mind, Tikal. Pretty sure it's all him in here..."

The spirit shook her head and ran into the cave holding a bowl of blue colored strange paste, "We have no time to talk about it! Hurry!" She said disappearing in the darkness of the cavern.

Sonic hurried after her, anxious of the cave. It wasn't his ideal spot to go running into, with what was probably close enough to a possessed furry on his back. It seemed more like a horror movie than an attempt to save the dark hedgehog's life.

In the cavern, Tikal was rushing around painting the ground with a wide circle surrounded by strange symbols; she looked up at the blue hedgehog and motioned for him to place Shadow in the center of the circle. The hero frowned, but did as Tikal requested, since she probably knew far more about what was going on than Sonic himself did. Shifting the hedgehog so he looked comfortable enough among the odd markings, the sapphire hedgehog watched his priestess companion out of the corner of one eye, trying to guess at what was going on.

Tikal gave a reassuring smile at the blue hedgehog, "Don't worry, I'm sure that you can help him in a way or in another." She said stopping painting the symbols on the ground, "Good. Now we just have to wait for Knuckles to get back."

"What's all this supposed to do, exactly...?" Sonic asked, reluctant to move away from the other hedgehog, lest he break out into his demon-inhabited imitation again. "That merging idea Tails told me about?"

"We'll have to see; more precisely, you'll have to see. This rite will send you into sleep and into Shadow's mind through dreams."

Silence reigned for a moment, then Sonic, as calmly as he could, decided he must have misinterpreted what the female Echidna had said. Perhaps his ears were still recovering from riding in the Tornado..?

"Excuse me....what?"

The spirit smiled sadly and reassuringly at the same time, "To restore Shadow back to one personality, we would have to go into his mind. But he won't listen to anyone. No one save you, Sonic." She explained, looking at the black hedgehog prone on the ground, "You're the only one that they trust."

"As flattering as that is Tikal, what makes you so sure I can calm both down? You're talking about sending me into total chaos, as you described it before." Sonic raised an eyebrow. "How will I get out again?" 'Notice, I didn't say how to get out sane....'

"Once you calm him down, you'll be able to come back without any help."

"And if there is no way to calm him down?" Sonic obviously didn't like this idea. He would do it, sure, after he got all the facts, but that didn't mean he had to like it.

"That is really up to you to find a way to calm them and merge them back together. I'm sorry Sonic, but I can't help much on that. You'll be alone into his mind."

"Or perhaps you want to have two different Shadows to deal with, one of which is a mad killer?" That was Knuckles, who had returned from the forest with a few herbs and a metal bowl in his hands, "He said it too, you're the key to his sanity."

"A title I'm becoming more and more displeased with. Holding onto Shadow's sanity is like holding onto a rope of ash." Sonic raked his fingers through the forest of blue quills atop his head. "I should've started drinking when I had the chance..."

"You still have the ash and hope, right?" The Guardian asked, mashing the herbs into a pulp in the bowl, "That is why you're going to do it. Am I correct?"

"That and because I haven't been carted off to the happy place yet." Sonic growled. He was getting more apprehensive of the situation by the moment.

Knuckles nodded, "Very well, then. Lie next to Shadow and relax. It'll take a little for you to go into his world, but once into it, time will warp."

"So how do I know I'll get back during this decade?" Sonic muttered, obeying Knuckles directions hesitantly. 'I just know I'm going to regret this later...'

"When you enter his mind, you will perceive a different time, while out here, it'll be another. If in Shadow's mind ten minutes pass, out here it could be ten hours, a day, or a week." Tikal explained, "Now, please, get ready, relax and leave the rest to us."

'Trans: If you're lucky, you won't be in there for hundreds of years. Oh joy, now I really CAN relax!' Sonic huffed, and lied down, glaring at the ceiling. He would have to throttle Knuckles after this; couldn't kill Tikal, because she was already dead, and Chaos would have his hide, but Knux? He was expendable.

The Guardian mumbled out an ancient chant and, with a match given by Tails, he gave fire to the almost liquid content of the bowl; the herbs burned lively for a few seconds before dying down and start to smoke.

The scent was sweet and intoxicant, but Knuckles seemed unaffected by it; chanting another string of words, he circled the two hedgehogs and crouched next to their heads, blowing some of the smoke their way and placing the bowl between them.

"Sleep, Sonic. Sleep and dream." He muttered, standing up and nodding to Tikal.

The spirit nodded back and sat cross legged at the hedgehogs' feet, closing her eyes and silently chanting something else as the male echidna left the circle and the cave to warn Tails that he had to keep himself and Amy out of the cave.

Sonic didn't move, the truth was he couldn't. He suddenly felt like he was made of the heaviest metal available, stiff and weighted down. The air around him was already thick with the scent of the smoke, and the cerulean furry felt as though he was choking on the stuff. Yet, his breathing had become even and slowed, and while he instinctively fought to stay awake, his whole mind began to drift.

Finally his eyes slid shut, before he could remind himself again to strangle the Guardian when he woke up.


	12. Chapter 12— A Candle Of Hope

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Chapter Twelve - A Candle Of Hope

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It was a place of pure darkness, with strong negative emotions drifting around each other into an endless cycle, feeding themselves with themselves, and becoming ever stronger. A chill lingered about the pitch blackness, making even more uncomfortable. Yet, deep buried under all that, there was still a small flicker of hope.

"Help... me." It was extremely faint and somewhat far away, but it was there. "Kill... me."

Sonic turned quickly, or at least, he thought he did. In this strange darkness, everything, every direction looked almost exactly the same to the blue hedgehog's unadjusted eyes. Confused, he searched for something to focus on. A shape maybe, or a light.

'Wait...this is inside of the mind, right? So...maybe if I just think about making a light, it'll happen? Worth a shot....' He concentrated as hard as he could, then opened an eye.

Nothing.

"Figures..." He grumbled, relaxing as much as he felt he could here. "Shadow's mind, Shadow's rules...."

The emotions shuddered and jumped upon hearing something different than the usual.

"Who's there?"

This was different from the whisper of before; it was louder and was coming from the dark emotions swirling around, vague against the night-time appearance of Shadow's mind, hidden from Sonic's vision as it traveled in amazingly complicated patterns through the frigid air, if it could be called that.

"Please... kill me before it's too late..." That was the same voice as before; same tone of the louder one, but filled with a weighted sadness instead of hate or rage.

"Shadow?" Sonic whirled on the balls of his feet, seeking the source of the words, ears perked and form hunched a little in the cool atmosphere. "Shadow? That you?" 'Of course it's him, idiot. Who else is in here?'

"That's... my name.... what do you want?" Asked the louder voice.

"Don't hesitate. Kill me." Pleaded the far away one.

'Which one am I supposed to talk to?' Sonic wondered, but settled on the far away one. He wanted them calmed down and 'unified' as Tikal said, so that meant getting them to a considerably equal degree in Sonic's language; then maybe he could figure something out.

"Why do want me to kill you?" He called to the fainter of the two voices, praying to himself that the decision he'd made was the right one.

"Because... I can't control them anymore..."

"What I'm saying... is that I'm almost two different personalities..." The dark one filled in with a chuckle.

"I'm... going to kill again..." The far away one continued, "I don't want--"

"I will kill them all."

Sonic shivered, rubbing the upper part of one arm. "But why kill yourself? You can get help."

The far away entity seemed to shift a little, "Help... for what?"

"I DO NOT NEED ANY HELP!" The loud one screamed into the air, making the negative emotions jump and twirl faster for a few seconds.

"I'm here to help you!" Sonic called over the roaring voice, trying to make sure he was heard, wondering if he would be recognized soon. Perhaps he should tell Shadow who he was, to make sure he understood what was going on...

"I DO NOT NEED YOUR HELP!!!"

"If you want to help me... kill me..."

"Why should I kill you to help you?" Sonic asked again. "There's always an alternative!"

"No alternative..."

Another dark chuckle "Why should there be other alternatives? I don't see any..."

"Just because you don't see something, doesn't mean it's not there, Shadow." Suddenly Sonic was unsure as to exactly which of the Shadows he was addressing. Technically, it didn't matter, but this was starting to hurt his mind badly.

"Very well, then..."

The dark emotions swirled around and the darkness seemed to lift, letting a small light to be seen in the far distance. Sonic shielded his eyes immediately. They'd only just grown accustomed to the darkness, so suddenly seeing light, even if it was small and faint, was a little painful.

"Why... are you trying to help me?" The far away entity asked shifting a little more.

"Because you need help." Sonic answered, moving his hand a little, to look. "And according to Knuckles, straight from you, I'm the best choice we've got, though with some of the fits you've been throwing while you've been asleep, maybe we should've just broken out the holy water..."

There was a dark hmm and the darkness shuddered a little, "And why do I need your help?"

"You've already said yourself that you did." He moved closer to the small light, peering at it.

"Which 'me'?" The dark one asked, making the surrounding darkness constrict on itself for a second before relaxing.

"Both of you." He hoped he sounded more confident in himself than he thought he would, luckily. "You're still Shadow, no matter which one I'm talking to." 'I think...'

The darkness moved a tendril and partially surrounded the blue hedgehog in its grasp, but with a gentleness that was hard to imagine for it, "You love... both of us...?" It asked caressing his body with its coil.

"Gah!" Sonic gasped loudly and almost toppled backwards, surprised by the sudden touch. "Darn it, don't do that! I've told you before to warn me first!"

The darkness shifted in a way that seemed to grin, "Why? You know that I like it..." The darker personality answered moving the darkness so he was 'hugging' Sonic at the waist.

"This would make the weirdest Jerry Springer show of all time, I swear..." Sonic sighed, letting the odd shaping continue. It seemed so different, and yet the same, having Shadow, or at least one of him, like this. Here he was holding onto him the same way, yet Sonic could've just as easily walked out of the embrace as one would walk out of mist.

The darkness started to shift around, and finally reached the shape of Shadow, but without colors, "You know... even if I hate them all... the love I have for you is still strong..." He whispered.

"Nice to know I'm good for something around here..." Sonic grinned, looking almost smug. "Was starting to think you were getting yourself hurt just so I had to come rescue you."

"It's not this me... the other me wants death, as death is the only way to stop me."

"Maybe not." Sonic tilted his head to the side, smile shrinking to a quirk of his lips, pleased that at least both personalities weren't struggling for his ears at the same time. "After all, I've stopped you enough times, and if you're still here, that means I haven't killed you, now have I? Unless we're both dead, or something."

The shape started chuckling, then it exploded with laughs, dissolving back into the darkness, "Who knows. After all... this is a dream, right? I'm just waiting to get separated from my other self."

"Why do you want to be separated though?" Sonic blinked, confused, and though he didn't show it, frustrated. Damn Shadow for not cooperating. At this rate, he was going to wake up as the next 'Rip Van Winkle' with a beard and knobby knees. There was no response to that question as the darkness returned to swirl around, but leaving alone the small light.

"Shadow! Answer me!" Sonic yelled, brow furrowing in determination, cursing silently in his thoughts. He didn't like this place, the black hedgehog's mind was unnerving as long as he wasn't being spoken to, given something to keep his mind off of the scenery. Again, there was no answer, but this time, in the distance there was a faint sniffling.

Sonic blinked, his ears perking. "Shadow....?"

"Why...didn't you...kill me?"

His ears went from upright to flat against his head, and he flinched visibly, or as much so as he could. "You already know I can't..."

"I'm not asking you... I'm asking whoever can do that... kill me."

"No one's going to...well, cept maybe Amy, but I'm not going to let her..." Sonic replied, clenching his fists together.

"Amy..." The darker personality growled out, "It was all her fault... all her fault. She will pay for that."

"What's her fault?" Sonic whirled to look in the other voice's direction, slowly being able to find the distinction between them, not so much in what they wanted as the way they sounded.

"All her fault that GUN found us out! ALL HER FAULT THAT I REMEMBERED AGAIN! ALL HER FAULT THAT NOW WE'RE TWO INSTEAD OF ONE!" The darkness screamed at the top of his 'lungs.'

Sonic cried out in pain and clapped his hands over his ears, whimpering, trying to dull the sound so that it didn't ring through his mind anymore.

"If only... she just gave up..." The far away voice mumbled out, "We would still be one... We would still be somewhat happy..."

The pain was fading, and Sonic answered as well as he could, wincing at the sound of even his own voice. "She doesn't mean it like that you know...if you'd met her a different way, you'd probably like her a little more..." He whispered. "Think about it, how would you have reacted to it, seeing someone you've more or less idolized for years kissing someone else?"

"Sad..." The far away personality answered.

"But she should have given up then!" The dark one snarled viciously.

Sonic laughed, breathlessly. "That's the way us hedgehogs are, Shadow. Stubborn, relentless, love-sick little fools." He shrugged. "You're that way too. Amy thought she could defend her self-given right to be the only person for me."

"She's a little pathetic BITCH that has and wants everything. WHILE I HAVE NOTHING BUT YOU!!!!"

"It's our nature, Shadow." Sonic corrected. "People usually want things they don't think they can get; she was told by everyone that she'd never get me. Now that it's been more or less proven true, she did the natural thing and tried to salvage what was left, by giving herself a reason. A really....silly reason..."

Sonic sighed. "She's a sweet kid, Shadow, you two would've probably gotten along a lot better, if she wasn't as territorial as she is."

"Shut up! You weren't there when she came out of the forest with that bastard of GUN! She betrayed you! Don't you understand this?!?" Sonic cringed under the angry tone, folding into himself, trying to fight the instinct to raise his quills in defense, since here, it wouldn't have done any good anyway.

The darkness shifted again and surrounded the blue hedgehog in another 'hug', "She betrayed you, Sonic. Aren't you angry? Don't you... hate her for this?" The voice, now whispering into his ear, asked.

Sonic shivered, suddenly cold, though he didn't know why. "Of course I'm angry! She almost got us both killed, along with Knuckles! If Tails were there, he'd have never survived all that tranquillizers! We're still thankful you did!"

The darkness released Sonic and shifter back to it's original state, "Then that's settled. Amy is a bitch that deserves punishment."

"No, Shadow..." Sonic watching the swirling mass. "I don't want to hurt anyone. I don't want YOU to hurt anyone. That only makes things worse."

"Hn. I'm not going to kill her if that's what you mean. I have something more.... frightening in store for her." The darkness said forming a mental grin.

Sonic raised an eyebrow. "Knuckles warned me you'd want to put her into a constant state of paranoia..."

"Paranoia? Naaa...." He answered chuckling, "More like a state of pure fear for the rest of her life. I promised her that she would have regretted to be even born. And I always keep my promises." He concluded with a happy snarl.

Sonic looked down, a small smile creeping onto his face as deja vu hit. "I remember when you first asked me if I wanted to sic you on her, to keep her away...."

"Ahh.... so you agree with my idea, then..."

"Not really, no...she more than deserves it...." Sonic was thinking. "It's odd, you know...I thought that as long as I kept the two of you off each others' backs, neither of you would be changed...yet here we are, Amy a jealous fiend and you torn in two...must be worse at this than I thought...."

There was silence again as the darker personality thought about it, then, the darkness shifted and formed a Shadow shape in front of Sonic, "She's only a part of it..."

Now, instead of coming from the surrounding darkness, the voice came from the shape.

"I know...there's GUN too...but Tails thinks we can really get rid of them. Once and for all." Sonic glanced up, watching the darkness become solid again, or close enough. "If they're gone, you won't have to worry about them anymore...Amy's easy, we can keep her for a while. Knuckles can always drug her if she gets too bent out of shape..."

His gaze drifted down to the supposed ground again. "But getting rid of GUN will be a whole lot harder, Shadow....we won't be able to do it without you." He breathed, then corrected himself. "Without you sane."

"'Sane'?" He asked getting angry again, "I am sane!" He snarled out, "I'm just two instead of one! That's all! Nothing more!" The darkness around the shape shuddered and moved dangerously.

"Technically, two personalities in one body is classified as insane, Shadow." Sonic sighed. He'd gotten one of them upset again. "Rational as both of you are..."

"Because they think that it's just one personality playing double, but we are TWO! We are two different entities even if we are in the same body!" The darker one snarled out as the swirling darkness shuddered dangerously again.

'Which makes this all that much more difficult, Shadow...' Sonic lowered himself to sit on the 'ground,' or as much so as he could make of it. "Just calm down..." His tone switched to a more soothing one.

There was a growl, and when it disappeared, the darkness swirled away while the small orb of light gained an evident crack in the middle of its surface.

Sonic's ears perked, blinking down at the ball of light, unsure in truth of how to do what he was supposed be doing, how to keep the other calmer. Just talking had worked at first, but Shadow was reacting differently than Sonic had thought he would. It was like talking to a child, a horridly violent child.

And Sonic had never been good with kids...

The far away identity shifted, "Just.... kill me...."

"We're not going to, Shadow. Stop asking...." The azure hedgehog sighed, trying to think. Why couldn't Knuckles have a manual or a psychology book for this..?

"Why? Why don't you want to kill me.... us? We're dangerous... It's the only way." He murmured.

'Why is answering that so damn hard...?' Sonic bowed his head, trying to find the right words. "I've told you before...I can't..."

"So you chose me over all the other lives of the planet?"

"I don't know..." Sonic replied. "...this is kind of a one-sided party..."

"I never asked for anything before. It's my first wish. Kill me. Kill us." He said slowly shifting away.

"No..." A shiver coursed up Sonic's being, but he fought it back. "It's not something I can do...I can't give you that..." Suddenly he smiled, thinking. "Besides, you've asked for other things. This definitely isn't the first."

There was a few seconds of silence as the entity stopped drifting away, "... what?"

"There are other things you've asked for..." Sonic repeated. "Well...technically they were all one thing...but you asked enough times, I think it counts..."

"... what?"

"You mean you've forgotten already..?" Sonic's brow furrowed, and his ears folded down partway, giving him a hurt look. "Both of you...?"

"Can't remember well... too much dark emotions..." He answered with broken voice, "They clouded both of us... we can't... feel nothing more than hate, sorrow, rage, pain..."

Sonic frowned, unsure. It was the temple all over again. "So you don't remember the kisses, huh?" Blunt, but Sonic was frustrated and almost offended, not so much as to be angry with the other, but enough to feel like snapping at him.

"Yes." It was the darker personality again, "Now we remember. The... kisses." The darkness seemed to lift a little, "Such... wonderful... emotion..."

"You asked for those..." Sonic seemed to brighten a little, thinking back. "A lot actually....after a while it wasn't really a matter of asking, but you did it a lot at first...."

"Yes... yes. We did that. We remember clearly now."

"Yet it feels so distant... why?" The far away one asked shifting in place.

"Maybe because you don't have to ask anymore..?" Sonic watched the two forms curiously. "I mean, after a while, it really didn't have to be said. That's usually what happens when you fall in love."

"Do you.... love both of us?" Asked the distant one.

"Or just one of us?" Asked the other.

"You're both Shadow," Sonic pointed out. "Together you make up the person I love. So in a sense, no matter how you split, I love you. Both, all, single. I've seen your flaws and you've got a temper that outdoes Knux any day. Plus you have a habit of grabbing hold of me in your sleep...." Sonic laughed at the memory.

"Do we?" They both asked in unison, "Do we really have this habit?"

"Do you really love us in every form we are?" The dark one asked.

"Duh. Sure, there are times when I could strangle you, like when you left me in that cave." Sonic crossed his arms, miffed at the thought. "And the pouncing me every time my back is turned scares the hell out of me....but if I didn't love you, I think I'd have tossed you out of a window somewhere..."

"That would be understandable... we are... not normal after all..." The 'dark Shadow' said as the darkness slowed down, as though as it was sad and wanted to stop.

"Oh, and you think I am?" Sonic remarked. "Let's start with the basics: I've survived countless explosions, not mentioned being stepped on by giant robots, flung into large bodies of water, being friends with Knuckles, being Tails' science guinea pig, and I can run at the speed of sound, or I could, if certain people would let me up off of the bed for five minutes..." He shot both Shadows a playful glare.

"Then there's the added-on, completely average fact that I'm blue. This is totally natural color, yes." He put down his hands, where he'd been counting each example off.

There was another growl, "Yet you're accepted. Why they won't accept me? Just because I was created and not born?" He asked in a snarl, "Is that really a crime? I never asked for it!" He growled out, "THEY HATE ME BECAUSE I WAS NEVER MEANT TO BE IN THEIR PATHETIC EYES! TO THEM I'M JUST A WEAPON!" He screamed out as the darkness resumed to twirl fast.

"And you know what?" He asked calmly, "I will give them what they want. A weapon of mass destruction."

At those words, the orb gained another crack; this time a little deeper than the one before.

Sonic winced. "Shadow, you're not listening! Do you think it was easy getting to where the only stares I get are when people recognize me as some famous hero?" He shook his head, sighing. "I basically went through the same thing you are when I was a kid. Same thing Tails goes through right now."

"The difference here is that you've got a past GUN's been creating for you, and as long as you keep attacking people, whether or not they're trying to kill you, you'll be proving anything they've said." Sonic finished, wanting to say more, but his voice was failing him.

The dark mass of swirling negative emotions shuddered frighteningly and the darker Shadow let out a scream of rage and hate that echoed in the void for several seconds that seemed minutes as the swirling sped up and the orb cracked again.

"It's... a lost cause... just... kill us..." The far away Shadow managed before drifting further away.

Sonic shook his head furiously, covering his ears to blot out the noise, biting back a cry of pain. "I can't!!"

In response to that, there was just plain dead silence; an eerie silence that not even the swirling mass of darkness could break.

Sonic shivered, bringing his hands away slowly, thankful the darker personality wasn't shrieking any longer. He wasn't sure how much longer his ears would hold up; dream or not, this was painful.

Finally, the darkness was broken by a soft and distant weeping as the other personality of Shadow started crying sadly.

"Shadow..." Sonic moved toward the sound, guilty for speaking the truth. "Shadow...what's wrong...?"

There was no answer save for more weeping.

Sonic reached, in an effort to touch the swirling mass, but his hand never really connecting with anything. He blinked , surprised, though guessing he shouldn't have been. "Shadow..."

The weeping personality stilled, "What?" He asked between sobs with a tired tone of voice.

Sonic, uncertain of what to say, settled for the best thing he could think of. "I'm sorry..."

"For what?"

"For being a selfish idiot...?" Sonic tried, unsure if it was the right thing to say.

"That's not true... why you should be a selfish idiot?"

"You're asking me to help you...but we both know I'd never let myself hurt you, just like you wouldn't me..." Sonic lowered his gaze. "I just...I know if I lose you, I've lost something it took me forever to find...I guess that would be selfish, wouldn't it..?"

"No..." He whispered. There was silence for several seconds before the far away entity seemed to shift position, "Why is it so painful?"

"Because that's a part of love, I suppose..." Sonic shrugged. "When you hurt, I do too. When you're happy, it's easier for me to be..."

"Even if I'm a coward? Even if the other Shadow is a killer?"

Sonic raised an eyebrow. "Haven't I answered this question before?"

The current Shadow gulped down and heaved a sigh, "I guess... that I'm just scared..."

"And I'm not..?" Sonic leaned in. "I'm terrified, and with good reason. Every time I look the other way for a second, you get yourself into a life or death situation. I may have to just keep you in a little box somewhere, Shadow, so I don't have worry anymore..."

"'Keep us in a little box'? Are you starting to think like those bastards?" The darker one snarled out, interrupting the other Shadow.

Sonic sighed, standing. "I'm not serious, Shadow. I'd never put you in a cage, you know that."

There was a low growl, but the dark one relaxed anyway, momentarily leaving the field again for the other Shadow. Sonic watched in that direction warily.

"The point is, everyone's been worried sick about you, you're not the only one scared.." Once again, there was silence broken only by small and faint sobs.

Sonic stilled, then crouched, frightened that he set the other Shadow back into his depressed state. "What did I say now...?"

"Nothing but the truth..." He said through sobs.

That was confusing. "Then why are you crying again....?" Sonic moved a little closer, expecting almost to see tears or something in the mist, though he was met with none.

"Because... because now I know that it's all my fault..."

"What is...?" Sonic hadn't blamed him for anything, had he?

"Because when we were one, we could do nothing but hate them all. That is how we came to be..." He said sniffling, "That is why it's all my fault..."

If he could've, Sonic would've hugged the mourning Shadow. "It's not your fault, Shadow. It's mine too, just as much as anyone else. That's why I'm here, I'm trying to help you the best I can..."

"It's not your fault! IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT!" He wailed out.

"That is correct... it was ours. Ours and of those wretched humans..." The other chimed in, "And the Bitch..." He finally added with a snarl of pure hate, "Oh... how I loathe her..."

Those few words, earned the orb another crack, albeit small...

"No. You're wrong...it's mine too." Sonic let his eyes trail to the little light in the distance, cracked. "I thought I could protect you, but...I don't know anymore...it's like no matter what I do, I'm failing now..."

"No, Sonic... you have never failed to protect me. Never have. It's.."

"It's the little bitch that can't let it go. That whispers our position to those bastards! IT'S HER FAULT IF WE ARE AT THIS POINT!"

Sonic clapped his hands over his ears again. "Calm down and stop shouting!! Do you want me to go deaf in here? That HURTS!!!" A growl later, both personalities seemed to calm enough to reason with.

"Look at that, Sonic. Do you know what that orb is?" The darker one finally asked.

"No..." The hero answered, removing his improvised earmuffs slowly. "Just that it keeps breaking every time you start yelling at me..."

"That represents what keeps us still together. Every time I get angry or I hate, it slowly breaks apart. It happens also when the other me--"

"When I despise and hate myself for who I am, for what I did before the scission and for what I've become..." The far away one finished.

"Then why are you letting it break?!" Sonic rounded on them. "I'm supposed to fix it, but why are you letting it fall apart?"

"Because... we can't stop it... the darkness within us is too strong... clouding our better judgment... not letting us see what really has to be done..." The darker Shadow explained sorrowfully.

"You could stop hating yourself..." Sonic pointed out. "That'd be a good start, at least. There are still good things about both of you, and when you're together, everything you are makes up a wonderful person. A slightly possessive, sadistic person, but still the person I fell in love with..."

The swirling emotions shuddered once before flying down on the 'ground' and take the shape of Shadow, "Wonderful... person... we're a killer, Sonic... how can we be wonderful?"

"He's right... how can a killer be a wonderful person?" Asked the other Shadow, finally stepping out of the surrounding darkness looking to the ground.

"You have a nice smile..you're smart..." Sonic was using his fingers to count again. "You're funny, and you give nice hugs. Plus you're a good kisser, for being so inexperienced." A grin at that. "And you make puppy eyes. Now what kind of killer makes puppy eyes, especially ones that big...?"

The darker Shadow chuckled a little at that and even the sad one seemed to smile a bit.

"I'm serious. Have you ever seen a killer in the movies make puppy eyes at his victims? No." Sonic crossed his arms. "And they're never involved with anyone either, which DEFINITELY crosses you out, because even when they are in love they kill the other person at the beginning." He rolled his eyes. "They don't make puppy eyes at them."

The entity formed by the negative emotions rubbed his upper left arm and looked away, "Still... I'm a killer filled with hate and rage..."

"I'll buy a punching bag then. Or we can also spar when you feel like hitting people." Sonic shrugged. "It did wonders for Knuckles. And there are always other things to keep you from losing your mind on me again..."

"And what are those?" The other Shadow asked curiously.

"You two are the plotters, always pouncing people." Sonic grinned. "Why don't you tell me?"

"I... I don't know..." They responded at the same time.

Sonic laughing silently, "As naive as ever, at least I haven't corrupted you yet..but whenever we get this fixed and we're both tuned into reality, I can show you..." He waved the subject off.

They looked at Sonic at the same time, like if they were just a persona and its reflection on a mirror, "Will... you?"

"Will I what...?" Sonic was lost now.

"Show me..." They said almost seeming one person again. At the same time, the orb seemed to slowly heal from the cracks.

"Of course. You don't think I'd say it if I didn't plan on living up to it, do you?" Sonic asked, watching the others.

Both Shadows smiled sadly, yet happily at Sonic, "How is it.... that you can always make us agree so easily?"

"I'm psychic." Sonic grinned, waggling his fingers in a futile attempt to look mystic. "I can read in your mind; though since I'm already in here, it's not that hard..."

The two Shadows grinned and laughed at that and the orb was starting to speed up its healing, "I guess... that we... no... that I have to thank you from the bottom of my heart."

"Think of it this way, I get one day, of my choosing when you are not allowed to pounce me. No matter what. That'll be the day I show you." Sonic smiled, then he shooed the other two. "Now go make up, or whatever it is; I want to wake up before next century, so I can pummel Knux real quick." It already felt like he was fading, which Sonic took to mean he'd done his job.

Then he heard it.

"Amy! You can't go in there!!"

"Watch me!! Whatever you two are doing to Sonic, I'll stop you!! I won't let you enslave him to that monster again!!!" Sonic turned toward the sound, away from both Shadows, and the light.

"What's she thinking...?!" With a sudden cry of pain, Sonic doubled over holding his head, screaming. It was like he was being pulled apart, his legs were already becoming dead weight.

The two Shadows held their heads and screamed to the dark sky, then they collapsed to the ground, trying to suppress the pain; that is when the orb just split in two and darkness took over everything, even the pain.

"Wake up, Sonic!" The two pleaded, sending the blue hedgehog's entity away from him and back to his own form, "Thanks to the Bitch we're now two separate entities, but thanks to you, we still retain some sort of link."

Sonic's eyes shot open, almost on command, and he gasped, pain shooting through his body. Pushing himself up weakly, he noticed, through spotted vision, that he was half-in, half-out of Tikal's drawn circle, both the spirit, and the Guardian looking extremely pissed. Then he was suddenly being choked.

No wait, this was a hug...?

"Sonic!! Oh my Sonic, I'm so sorry I couldn't save you in time! They're all on his side, oh my poor Sonikku, what did they DO to you?!"

Suddenly, before Sonic could answer, there was a pained scream from Shadow. The black hedgehog was now convulsing around holding his head in pure pain.

"Shadow!!!" The hero broke away from the girl and rushed back to Shadow. or rather hurriedly crawled there. "Shadow?! Are you alright?" Shadow went totally limp, like dead; his arms fell away from his head and his eyes remained half way open and unfocused as his mouth was slightly open.

Sonic pulled him upright. "Shadow?! Answer me!!!!" Pain was streaking along his sides, his chest, gathering at the back of his head but Sonic just didn't care anymore, because Shadow might be dying and he couldn't let him die...

"Shadow! Wake up!!! I don't which one of you it is, just WAKE UP!!!!"

And one of them did indeed wake up, as a small, insane smile showed on his face; however, that was just to show Sonic that at least one of them was ok. Then, Shadow closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep again.

Sonic blinked, then breathed, slowly, letting other droop into his arms, leaning his forehead against the others, thanking any deity he could think of that the dark hedgehog was alive, perhaps with the worse of the two personalities, but alive.

Knuckles however, wasn't so pleased; sure he was thankful Shadow hadn't died, but that didn't excuse how this happened. He was yelling at Amy, having grabbed her by the short quills.

"What the HELL did you think you were DOING?!"

"I was saving MY Sonic from a monster!" She yelled back.

The Guardian yanked her upward, letting her dangle above the stone floor for a moment. "You almost KILLED them both! Not JUST both Shadows; if you'd gotten Sonic all the way out of the circle before we stopped you, he would've DIED."

"He wouldn't be in these conditions if you didn't do that... that voodoo rite on him to make him the slave of a monster!" She screamed in his face with outrage.

Knuckles dropped her, disgusted with the girl. "I won't even bother to correct you. You're not worth the time it would take to explain." He growled, stepping away, and looking toward the other two hedgehogs, Sonic still clinging to the unconscious figure and whispering his thanks that the darker furry had survived...

The pink hedgehog, however, wasn't done; she took out her mallet and ran towards the two hedgehogs with the clear intention of hitting Shadow's unconscious body over and over till he would die. Sonic saw the movement out of the corner of his eyes, and turned, surprised, then moved to protect Shadow, ready to knock the mallet away and push the girl back.

He shouldn't have bothered.

A shot of water smashed into the pink hedgehog from the mouth of the cave, Tikal finally moving up from the stance she'd been in since Sonic had woken, standing upright. Chaos, who'd she been calling through their link, moved forward, looking beyond pissed.

The water creature slowly advanced, rage showing into his green eyes; if before he was just mad, now he damn hated the little girl. This was surely going to be the payback match for what she did; and he was going to make sure that nothing was going to stop him.

Amy, sopping wet, pushed herself up to her hands and knees, coughing haggardly, her mallet a good distance away, too far to reach before Chaos decided to blast her again, or even stomp her into oblivion. She shot the watery being a glare.

Chaos was now standing a only a few feet from her, with a death glare in his eyes, hell bent on making her very sorry to have even thought to bring humans to his island and even to have broken an ancient rite that his friend Tikal deemed very important. So it was no surprise Amy faltered, terrified of the advancing creature, and trying to push back against the wall. It was much to her surprise when Tikal herself placed a hand on the being's arm, shaking her head.

"Wait until Shadow's better. He'll want a chance too." She looked at Amy with something akin to pity, and anger. "This is the third time she's almost killed him, after all...."

The water creature nodded and left the cavern to resume his strolls in the surrounding sea.

Amy watched him go, silent and fearful, not really responding even as Tails gently hefted the girl to her feet and lead her outside. She was too busy trying to make eye-contact with the azure hero across the cave, but Sonic's eyes were locked on Shadow, worrying over him. Even as the inside of the cavern faded from sight, Amy's gaze remained trained there.

The Guardian crouched in front of the two hedgehogs, "Sonic? How did it go?" He asked examining the black creature's pulse and breathing.

"They were going to merge again...I convinced them to do it...." Sonic was shaking, unnerved and unsure. "How long...how long was I in there...?"

"Almost five days..." Knuckles answered counting Shadow's heart rate.

"Didn't feel that long..." Sonic whispered, watching the echidna. "He's alright, isn't he? Amy...she stopped him; I was about to go back, but they said....and..." His hand went to the side of his head. "Damn...that hurt...."

"His body is ok, better than before we started the rite, but I'm worried about his mind. What did they say to you?"

"At first they were talking....y'know like...there really was two...because there was and all..." Sonic was settling down, still holding his head. "...then at the end, they said I..and I was sure that I'd gotten through to him and...that really took five days...?"

"Yes."

"That's all you have to say...?" Sonic blinked, watching the other. "I mean, according to you I almost died, and that one word is all I get..?" The hedgehog poked his friend. "What if I had died, is 'yes' all you're gonna say?"

"You're not dead, right?"

"You're a bad friend." Sonic pouted, glaring, but still trying to dull his headache. "Least you could do was say 'hi' or something. A little more empathy wouldn't kill you..."

Knuckles rolled his eyes and stood up, "There's a mat of leaves and hay near that wall, "He said pointing one wall of the cave where a soft mat lay, "I'm going to get some herbs for you so you can rest better..."

"Herbs? What do I need those for? It's just a headache...." Sonic blinked, questioning. Was Knuckles actually following his advice? Wow.

"For your headache, so that you don't keep complaining, and something for Shadow too." He answered leaving the cavern.

Sonic stared after him, wondering if a, the Guardian was telling the truth about the time, b, he'd gone insane during those five days if that was how long it had actually taken, and c, if he really should go to sleep. After all, he'd been sleeping for almost a week right? You couldn't get much more rested....

But the fact that the wounds on Shadow had stopped bleeding and were starting to heal proved that; the hedgehog had been too out of Chaos Energy to be able to heal, but now he was one third replenished with it. Sonic simply watched, surprised, leaning against the closest cave wall for support to sit up straight. Strangely enough, tired as he was, he didn't want to sleep yet. He was still too concerned about the darker hedgehog.

Shadow, even if his body was ok, was pretty confused in his, or better, their mind; to be two in one was a strange experience and, to not damage their body, came to a common agreement. The darker personality would come out only when needed; the rest of the time was of the innocent side.

However, the two weren't completely separated... they could still 'talk to each other' in some ways...

Sonic however, was oblivious to this, still fighting the temptation to let his eyes close and drift off. As much as he denied it, the blue hero needed the sleep he was fending off, since after the long period of separation, his body needed to readjust to being one with him again instead of just a sleeping shell.

Nevertheless stubborn, and ignorant at that, Sonic struggled to stay awake.

Knuckles returned to the cave, "Still up?" He asked walking up to him, "Haven't I told you to get some rest?"

Sonic blinked drowsily at the other, then broke out into a smirk. "What can I say? I'm a persistent jerk..."

"Ok, ok. Now, drag your persistent hide to that mat while I drag your boyfriend." He said placing the bowl with the herbs on the ground and picking up the black hedgehog.

"I don't have to drag myself anywhere..." Sonic growled, and pushed himself up, pleased that his legs were responding. Just to be safe, he kept to the wall, taking a few steps, and his smirk growing. "See? Walking just fine, thanks a bunch!" He stuck his tongue out at the other, then lost his hold, tumbling straight into the mat, a small flurry of upset hay raining down after him. "Darn!!"

Knuckles shook his head, "Told you so..." He said lowering the unconscious body next to the blue hedgehog. As soon as Shadow seemed comfortable, he stood up and went to retrieve the bowl with the herbs.

"You be quiet." The hedgehog snapped crossly. "When I get my legs back, I'll run circles around you."

"First you have to get them back." He answered, crouching next to Shadow and starting to ball up a little portion of herb pasture.

"Wouldn't have lost them if I didn't get manhandled every other day. You people are just dying to keep me from running around." Sonic growled. "This is one big conspiracy."

"No. Just coincidences..." He said opening the black hedgehog's mouth and placing the handmade pill in it, then he closed it and massaged his under the chin to make him swallow.

"You'd just love me to believe that, wouldn't you?" Sonic eyed the other suspiciously.

"I'm just telling you the truth." He said repeating the process.

"Hmph." The hedgehog crossed his arms and sulked against the wall. "Anything happen while we were gone?"

"Besides Amy screaming at Tails to let her in the cave to 'save' you?"

"Yeah, 'sides that..." Sonic rolled his eyes. "Sweet of her to miss me though..."

The Guardian nodded, "Well, nothing happened. Chaos has kept under control the sea around the islands, but nothing came this way. The only thing that happened was Shadow's body getting better over the five days."

"Hah! I knew it, he does keep making more..." His eyes turned to the other hedgehog. "What do you think will happen now..?"

Knuckles sighed deeply as he fed another small ball of herbs to Shadow, "I don't know... I never dealt with someone with two personalities in his mind..."

"I'm still stuck on the fact that we were so close to just having one again..." Sonic shook his head. "But the light broke apart, so I'm guessing they're stuck this way..." The echidna hmmed, thinking about other ways to go back to having one Shadow while he kept on his task of making the midnight hedgehog swallow what Knuckles was giving him.

Sonic stayed silent, simply watching the dark furry swallow each bit of medicine, wondering whether it would be in his best interests to try and move from the mat before Knuckles decided he should be knocked out, since he was refusing to sleep.

As if he had heard his thoughts, Knuckles looked at him, "You better go to sleep, or if you don't want to, at least stay here and get some rest. You need it, like everyone that went through that rite." He said giving the black hedgehog the last of the herb pasture, "Besides, I advise you to not get far from him, or you'll feel... alone? Lost?"

"I would?" Sonic blinked. "I mean, sure I miss him when he's know right beside me, but you make it sounds like I'll be torn in two..."

The Guardian chuckled, "Well, since the rite was abruptly interrupted, you may have left something of you in him. That is why I suggest you to stay a few days right next to Shadow till you get used to that."

"So you're saying I'm not all here?" He looked confused, but he was more than that. "Great, next you'll tell me we've got one of those mind links and Shadow'll be able to see what I think and all that."

Knuckles raised his hands in defense, "Hey, I'm not an expert myself. I never performed this rite. Tikal just told me what to do and what to say right on the place. You should talk to her, not me..."

"Oh, so I was stuck with an amateur, is that what you're telling me?!" Sonic fisted his quills into large amounts. "No wonder some of my mind is missing! I could be scarred for life!!!"

"I don't see any evidence..." The echidna muttered lowering his arms and raising an eyebrow.

"Of course not." Sonic mimicked the other. "But again, you're the one with zero experience. I could end up suddenly fixing robots or something."

The Guardian rolled his eyes, "Bha." He said waving a hand in the air towards the blue hedgehog and turning around, "You better get some rest, Sonic. Or you want me to knock you out?" He asked leaving the cavern.

The answer was courteously blunt, evened out with sarcasm. "I don't like either option."

There was no come back; the echidna was already out of the cave, sending a warning glare to Amy that if she returned in the cavern he would jump the line and kill her before Chaos and Shadow could even lay a finger on her.

Amy flinched, staying seated on the rock Tails had left her on. She had no desire to return to the cave, not yet. She'd obviously been too late, Sonic was tied to the monster again. She would bide her time, try to find a way to save him again.

Tikal approached the Guardian, "What should we do with Amy?" She asked in a whisper.

The male echidna shook his head. "If I didn't think Sonic would object, I've have tossed her into the water and watched to see how well she can swim back to her military friends..." He snorted under his breath. "Sonic's always been too nice to her; she won't give up on this anytime soon..."

The spirit looked at the pink hedgehog sitting on the stone, "Do we have to drug her to keep her from doing something else? I think that she's plotting something..."

"And waste good herbs on her?" The Guardian spat, glaring toward the girl. Then he softened. "Still...I suppose it would be for the best. She suspected something when we gave them to her before, wouldn't eat....chances are we'd have to knock her out first..."

Tikal sighed, "It's a pity, she was such a sweet child... but look at what she became..."

"Love does that to you...or at least, obsession." Knuckles shook his head. "Every hedgehog I've met is more stubborn than the last..."

She looked at him slightly confused, "Shadow is stubborn?"

"He has refused to die even as the odds are against him, and acts much like Sonic when he is coherent enough to refuse medicine..." Knuckles sighed. "Those two are as unmovable as mountains."

"But didn't you tell me that he wanted to die in the first place?"

"Yes." Knuckles looked back toward the cave. "But I don't think that was truly what he wanted. If he'd given up all hope of surviving...don't you think he would've refused to allow Sonic to help, and expelled him from his mind?"

"Yes... you're right." She said nodding and looking at the cavern's entrance.

Knuckles turned fully, facing the same direction as his eyes. "I should probably check on them again. Sonic's most likely still refusing to sleep..."

Tikal nodded, "If he refuses you know what to do, right?"

"Knock him out for a day two, and hope his legs still aren't working when he wakes back up..." Knuckles was already moving toward the cave mouth again. "Just make sure we don't let Chaos decide he's waited long enough to hurt Amy. I don't want to have to fend him off along with her." He sighed. "Fate is against letting these hedgehogs get out of this adventure in one piece..."

The spirit girl chuckled lightly, "I'm sure that Fate has something else in store for those two hedgehogs." She said smiling, then she tilted her head to the side in thought, "Or should I start referring to them as 'three'?" She asked to herself.


	13. Chapter 13 — An Unexpected Eternal Bond

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Chapter 13 - An Unexpected Eternal Bond

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Sonic yawned, stretching slowly, and let his eyes blink open, clearing sleep from them after a moment or two. He'd barely moved from the mat since they'd been dragged from the rite circle, thanks to the different drugs Knuckles' had been all too delighted to put into his system. Shadow's eyes never opened at all during the past week, which, while Sonic was worried, made him feel a little more at ease when he woke up. At least he didn't have to worry about being pinned first thing after all.

Still, the longer he spent knowing Shadow hadn't come around yet, the more concerned he became.

As though as he had been heard, whether by a greater power or Shadow himself, the black hedgehog's eyes stirred, lids twitching in warning of coming wakefulness, and he let out a faint moan of confusion mixed with discomfort. Beside him, Sonic leaned forward, wondering. Shadow had moved quite a bit in his sleep, a lot of it cuddling and curling into small balls, over the pass of time. He wasn't really expecting much, but perhaps today...

"Shadow..?"

The dark creature mumbled out an answer, then tried to roll over onto his side, whining by way of announcing a rather serious headache, nausea, and-if the slow, labored movements of his arms were any hint-stiff, cumbersome limbs.

"Shadow? You awake?" Sonic tentatively reached out and helped the other shift, watching the sleeping face.

"I'd...prefer not to be..." He muttered out through gritted teeth.

"Sorry...." Sonic withdrew his hand. "I can go get Knux, if you want? He still has some of the stuff he gave me for my headache..."

"Please..." He muttered, managing to roll on his stomach, after which he hid his head beneath clasped fingers and folded arms.

"Kay..." Sonic sat up slowly, and stood. He'd practiced a little around the cave while Shadow had been asleep, though Knuckles had refused to allow him to leave, especially after his episode. "I'll be back in a second then, it might take a little time to find him..."

"Actually, I'm already here..."

"Good..."The hunched form still on the mat murmured. Obviously, the streaked being was feeling too awful to attempt refusing any potentially helpful medicine; if the ill-begotten symptoms would leave him, he was more than happy to try any cure Knuckles had.

The Guardian crossed into the cave to the dark furry's side, grabbing hold of Sonic's arm as he passed, and guiding him back to the mat. "I told you to stay put..." He was already kneeling beside the other hedgehog, ignoring Sonic pouting jibes. "Where does it hurt, exactly?"

"My head is the worst. My stomach has decided to start rejecting everything inside me, and my body is like lead...or worse. It's so heavy that I can hardly breathe..." He replied, peering out from his arms, and looking as though he would vomit soon.

"That's the best news I've gotten this week.." Knuckles gave his patient an almost grim smile. Tikal had already told him that Shadow's energy was almost fully replenished, and had aided him in concocting a certain mixture that would settle the combating body and mind, or rather, minds. He reached into the bag he'd brought with him, and fished out a small bottle filled with an almost lime green liquid. "Drink this."

Shadow made to stand up on his fours in order to roll over and take the offered medicine, but his limbs all but dropped him back to the mat, less than willing to support him. Meanwhile his stomach continued its rampage on all its contents in effort to force them up his throat. Sensing the discomfort in his partner, Sonic took hold of his darker companion's shoulders and leaned him against his own tan chest to help him stay upright so that he wouldn't get sick, more than he already was anyway.

The black hedgehog mumbled his thanks to the sapphire and accepted the given bottle, gulping it down all at once. Then, in a violent lurch, the hedgehog doubled over, clutching at his mouth to keep from vomiting on either of his companions.

Knuckles moved slowly, and put his hands on the back of the streaked hedgehog's throat, rubbing there gently to help Shadow force himself to swallow. "It'll take a little while, but try not to let it come back up. This stuff takes a day to make, and I'm sure you don't want to be sick for that long if I have to mix another batch..." There was a muffled moan as Shadow pressed his hands to his mouth and shut his eyes tightly.

"Lie down, Shadow. You'll need to get a little more rest in you, so it can work properly. No moving around for a little while." The black hedgehog nodded as the fits ended and settled back down on the mat on his side, panting deeply, and Knuckles turned on Sonic. "That goes double for you."

"But I haven't taken any medicine...." Sonic grumbled. Knuckles ignored the complaint and stood. Sonic kept fuming, eyes still on the Guardian, even as he was refused any more answer than a commanding glare and left to the cave and his bedmate.

"I can't believe him..." He muttered, looking outraged at the indignity of being confined to the mat, again.

"Please Sonic...be silent a little while, will you? Things a little heels over head in here, and we'd like to not let it become any worse...."

Sonic looked a little hurt, but more apologetic. "Sorry..." He settled down onto his back, eyes on Shadow, biting back his voice.

It took a good half an hour for Shadow to start feeling any better, but by that time he was already able to sit up fully without having spells of dizziness and nausea. The sapphire hedgehog stayed nearby of course, always having a hand out to steady the other in case he toppled, so that there would be no injuries. As soon as the black hedgehog was comfortable, he rubbed his temples and mumbled a soft complaint about his last panging vexation.

"Feeling any better at all?" Sonic asked quietly, trying to be mindful of his partner's pain. He knew that chances were his headache was twice what the hero's own had been; after all there were two Shadows to suffer it.

"A little better..." He said as he closed his eyes and rubbed them. The cobalt nodded and returned to resting in silence after that, amusing himself by twiddling his thumbs. The least he could do was not add to the near-migraine by talking a lot. After a long moment of this, the streaked creation turned his head to look at the blue hedgehog with tired eyes.

"Sonic?" Ears perking at the sound of his name, the younger male looked at his incapacitated bedmate from the corner of one eye, letting his curiosity show.

"Hmm?"

"We're sorry..."

"For what?" Sonic blinked, looking attentive and anxious. "You didn't do anything this past week but sleep, so there's not much to apologize for...well, 'cept the whole using my stomach for a pillow thing. That got a little annoying, especially after you cut off my air when you squeezed."

"We're apologizing for the fact that after all you did to bring us back together, we're still two, still separate..."

"That's not your fault." Sonic waved his hand in a careless manner. "Amy's to blame for that. Enslaved to you. Honestly, that girl...." He shrugged, and then let his shoulders sag with the strange weariness that had been creeping up on him lately. "Now we're back to square one I suppose..."

"Not by much," Shadow answered, producing an eerie grin, "We still have something of a link. Even if it's not within our mind anymore..."

"Huh...?" Sonic had started combing hay out of his quills, so he couldn't see the smirk, nor guess its meaning. "Then where is it if it's not in there with you...?" The black hedgehog placed a hand under Sonic's chin and titled his gaze upward, so as to meet with his eyes.

"You." He said still with the somewhat creepy grin, "You're the one that is keeping us linked together, even if we are two different entities." Sonic blinked, eyes flickering back and forth between the grin and Shadow's smoldering eyes, suddenly a little more unsure.

"If you're plotting what I think you are, it's a little early for that, Shadow. Plus Knux would have both our heads." Shadow chuckled in amusement at the partial warning, partial accusation.

"Why do you always think that I'm plotting? I still feel tired, you know..."

"Because every time I decided you're not plotting, you've tackled me and pinned me down somewhere." Sonic countered. "So as long as I'm suspicious of you, I'm safe. I daresay I've figured you out. Took me long enough...."

The dark hedgehog grinned again and cocked his head a little to the side, "Well, the one that pounces you like that is the other Shadow. Not me. If I had the energy to hold you down I would do it right now without caring about Knuckles' fits..."

"But you don't have the energy." Sonic pointed out, grinning. "Meaning I don't have to worry just yet. Plus, there's the fact that unlike you, I can get up and walk to the other side of the cave if you try something." He poked the other in the chest, hiding behind the bluff. "So there, you sadist."

"I can still Chaos Control around, I'm sure... and I think that my other self will be more than happy to help me in doing that. Right now he's rather put out because he wants to tackle you..."

"Well...you can't! You don't have the strength, so nyah nyah!!" The hero stuck his tongue out, feeling victorious. "So I'm free as a bird...at least until Knuckles comes back with more of his brews and bubbles..." He growled. Shadow's grin changed from strange to sly and he threw himself at the other hedgehog, grasping him in a tight hug at the neck, and causing them both to fall back onto the mat.

"I beg to differ." He said snickering happily. Though Sonic ended up on the bottom when they fell backwards, he was still the stronger of the two for now. He switched their positions in seconds.

"Ah hah! Who's laughing now?" The change in power seemed to hold no affect on the obsidian male. Soft chuckles still radiated from under his breath.

"Still us."

"What are you talking about...?" Sonic raised an eyebrow; curious, but cautious.

"We don't care what position we hold, as long as it's you we're with." He said smiling softly at him.

"Aww, you're so sweet..." Sonic laughed and nuzzled their noses together, before rolling off his partner and lying on the mat face up. "But I am far too lazy to play right now. And you're not allowed to, until I can be sure you won't collapse or something."

"You have to keep your promise, you know... I'll wait for that."

"Good. 'Cause I plan to nap for a little while. There has been far too much moving around in the past few weeks since I met you." Sonic closed his eyes and huffed. "Too much exertion for this common hedgehog..."

Shadow rolled on his side and rounded his arm about the other's waist, placing his head on the russet chest, "If you can keep up with us, you're far more special than a common hedgehog."

"Flattery will get you nowhere..." Sonic mumbled, leaning his head onto the other's. "Well...I don't know, it might. Keep talking..."

"Sonic? Are we safe here?" He asked referring to GUN and all.

"Knux says this place is off the map, and Chaos is controlling the sea all around us...plus there aren't any phones or anything for Amy to use to call anyone and tattle on us." Sonic shrugged. "Pretty safe. But if we do get attacked again," He shot the darker hedgehog a look. "..you're not confronting anyone. We're getting off this rock and finding somewhere else to go."

Shadow pouted angrily, "Who said that I'm going to run away?! Even if it is to follow you."

"I do." Sonic answered, gently tugging a few bits of hay from the other's quills. "You'll only end up getting hurt again, and I don't want to lose you. If you'd seen yourself when we got you out of that base, you'd probably understand why I'm so upset."

"Hn. They tied me up pretty well, I know. And nearly overdosed me with sedatives too..." He spat out angrily, knowing that perhaps he was digging himself a deeper pit in the matter, but unable to control his anger. Daring to confine him with chains and drugs would be one mistake the humans would certainly regret.

"There's my point made." Sonic nodded, digging out another golden stalk. "I'm not letting you barrel headfirst into them again, and if I'm knocked out, Chaos already knows not to let you go anywhere near them either."

"Who said that I had to get near them?"

"Shadow." Sonic chided. "I'm not in the mood to get in a fight with you over this."

There was a growl, signaling the black and crimson hedgehog's current surrender of the discussion. "Fine, fine, I get it. I'll leave you to my other self so he can pounce you every other second; I'll be resting until the time comes for me to control this body again."

"Every other second will have to happen later." Sonic yawned, and sighed, eyes drooping. "For now I expect both of you to get a little more sleep, or Knux'll have my hide...."

The black hedgehog yawned, "Alright...only for you." He mumbled out as he closed his eyes and fell asleep over the other's chest. Sonic smiled, watching the other hedgehog drift off. It had been easier than he'd expected to convince him to go to sleep again; it was nice to be listened to. The hero snuggled a little closer and let his eyes close as well, dozing off in a matter of moments.

-----

When Shadow finally came to, he felt reinvigorated. In effort to test the pleasant feeling, he righted himself and glanced around the cave. Knuckles was sleeping on a mat similar to the one he and Sonic were lying upon, and further to his right, Tails was sprawled out into another. Chaos was nowhere that he could see, but Tikal was hovering in orb form before the entrance to another chasm of the cavern. His guess was that Amy occupied that one.

Tikal noticed his awakened status right away.

"Good morning, Shadow..." She chimed, taking her solid form so she could wave. "How did you sleep? You seemed very tired..."

The black hedgehog smiled, "I feel fine now. I feel like I could start walking around normally."

She returned the gesture. "Wonderful. I knew you were a fast healer...faster than Sonic, which surprises me at times." The female echidna glanced past Shadow's torso to glimpse the hedgehog she spoke of. "Still out cold; Knuckles gave him something to help him sleep a little more soundly while you two were napping..."

"Normal..." He said looking back at him, "But now I have the occasion to pin him down." He mused, pleasure brimming in the words.

Tikal laughed. "I'm sure he'll be quite surprised when he wakes up then. I advise you to wait until Knuckles and Miles have left you to yourselves again." Then she frowned, "...speaking of selves...I must apologize, for the rite was not as successful as we'd hoped..."

Shadow looked back at her, "Don't worry about it. Thanks to that and Sonic we are still linked together even if we are two different entities. It's strange... but sometimes we can hear each other..."

"You sound almost like Chaos and I. However we two are linked through the Master Emerald, not the person we love." She indicated the sleeping hedgehog.

The dark hedgehog nodded, "Yes, it may be something like that, but we're not that sure. When we're with Sonic... we feel like we're back to being one." He explained looking back at his partner on the mat and caressing his shoulder.

"Then perhaps the Guardian's evaluation of this was correct." Tikal assessed. "We feared that the link was completely shattered at first, and the only thing keeping you two together was mutual love...however, Knuckles has guessed that perhaps instead of being broken, the link has shifted."

He looked at her a little confused, "Shifted?"

"He thinks that, perhaps, the link between you two healed in time to keep the bond whole, but the disturbance Amy created transferred it into what was deemed a safer place, by your own mind." She mused. "If so, it would seem that Sonic truly has become the key to your sanity, as you have stated once or so, according to Knuckles."

Shadow sighed, "So that's what the other Shadow meant.."

"What?" She asked, watching him. "Whatever it is, it can always be of use in the future, especially concerning you two."

"He said thanks to...her...we're now two separate entities, but because of Sonic, we still retain a link. I thought that it was our mutual love for him, but now I know that he meant this."

"Her...ah, Amy." Tikal shook her head. "I truly am sorry for the trouble she has caused. And for her. With each scheme to regain Sonic, she loses him all the more...and yet, she does not see that."

The black hedgehog's eyes suddenly narrowed in anger and hate, meaning that the other Shadow, the more violent one, had resurfaced, "Who cares? Soon I'll be paying her back for what she did. Eh... the bitch is going to regret everything." He spat each words as though they in and of themselves would injure the younger female.

Tikal looked solemn more than anything now. "It is still tragic, much like the folklore our ancients told children." She sighed. "She will never learn the lesson that lies before her..."

Shadow's grin spread, "Then I guess that I'll make her so terrified that she will stay as far away from us as she can." He said chuckling darkly, "I might even invite Chaos on this plan..."

"It is not the wisest thing to do, Shadow. Nor would Sonic fully approve." She shook her head. "Ler olod eartetne malosr olod.."

The dark hedgehog raised an eyebrow at her, "What's that supposed to mean?" He asked forgetting about his hate for Amy, thus leaving the body to the innocent Shadow again.

"It is an ancient proverb." Tikal explained. "In the tongue I spoke in life. In your language, it means 'Pain brings only pain.' Or in the words of one of the modern philosophies, 'Violence begets violence.'"

Shadow remained in silence several seconds as the killer personality mumbled out something to him, then he sighed and shook his head.

"What is on your mind, Shadow..?" Tikal leaned her head toward him, though she did not move her feet from her post.

He looked up at her and smiled, "Oh, he said, apart the fact that he is 'Pure violence and hate', that he was going to rest up and leave the body to me until GUN, the girl or that thing will come back."

Tikal nodded. "Perhaps that will be for the best. Though I daresay, you'll want to rest a little more before Sonic awakens."

"Why?"

"Your taenma wants to try and get that race in as soon as possible. I think he's frustrated that you two haven't gotten to match skills since you met..." She let a thoughtful smile cross her muzzle.

The dark hedgehog smiled at her, "Guess you're right. After all, we owe him at least the race..." He said leaning back down and closing his eyes for a quick nap.

Tikal waited until his eyes had closed fully, then transformed into light again, resuming her guarding state beside Amy's makeshift prison. Knuckles had long since drugged the girl into sleeping, but she would awaken sooner or later.


	14. Chapter 14 — Awake, Alive and Active?

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Chapter 14 - Awake, Alive...and Active...?

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When Shadow woke again, Knuckles and Tails had vanished, like Tikal and Amy. The cause of their absence puzzled him, but he doubted they'd have abandoned the island or something equally desperate without waking, or taking, the two of them.

The black hedgehog looked at his side and grinned; good... Sonic was still sleeping peacefully.

Or as peacefully as he could. The blue hedgehog had curled during the last few hours, cuddling against the darker body as he dozed. Every once in a while, he would stretch and settle back into snuggling against the other's side, with an oversized yawn to announce that he was still far from willingly regaining consciousness.

The black hedgehog snickered happily and slowly started to uncurl his bedmate using soft strokes here and there to make him relax. Sonic gave a muffled protest, but complied, straightening out slowly, though still pressed against the dark pelt. He mumbled something that obviously wasn't really words, and settled, ear flicking.

As soon as the blue hedgehog was on his back, Shadow sat on his lower stomach and pinned his arms under his legs; then he started stroking his chest with slow and careful motions. His comrade's brow furrowed, and another unintelligible objection was made. Then Sonic fidgeted for a few moments, trying to ignore the added weight and the slowly noticeable petting. The creation could not help a smile and lowered his head, kissing his captive lightly, still petting.

Sonic's eyes moved beneath his lids, and he subconsciously pressed against Shadow, eagerly kissing him back in his sleep. He'd already begun purring, and now the sound reverberated around them, making the tan chest rumble as the caressing went on. The dark hedgehog snickered again, feeling the other personality shift within their subconscious, drawing in close so as to share in the delightful moment.

Beneath them, the azure hedgehog suddenly broke into soft laughter, squirming almost wildly. Shadow had found his ticklish spot again, and his mind was slowly resurfacing from the depths of sleep to find out exactly why he couldn't move. Shadow stopped his tickling motions and leaned down to kiss his partner softly on the lips, cupping both his hands on his cheeks. Another muffled sentence, this one less a complaint, and Sonic shifted again, his eyes flickering open then closed. Knuckles' drugs were still slightly in affect, though now they were beginning to wear off. And the black hedgehog was nothing short of ecstatic upon seeing that the pinned male was awakening.

"Good morning..." He whispered letting his breath brush on the other's lips. Whether or not it was morning didn't hold a difference to the streaked creature. He was too busy enjoying the hero's drowsy movements.

"Mmph..." Sonic blinked, and squinted up at Shadow, trying to focus. When he finally got the jest of what was going on, and the position he was in, he gave a startled yelp and twisted.

"So you're finally awake..." Shadow leaned it to press his mouth back to those of the sapphire. Sonic was suddenly a little calmer, watching Shadow after the kiss ended with still tired eyes.

"Why are you sitting on me..?" He blinked. Obviously, though his eyes were open, his mind was continuing to struggle out of sleep.

The dark hedgehog shrugged. "I like it."

His eyes narrowed sharply, his suspicion returning. "I'm sure you do. But we already agreed you're not allowed to pin me down for a while, until you're better." Shadow sulked, but rolled off of Sonic nonetheless.

"I'll catch up later then." He said, his back turned in an obvious huff.

"Oh, stop pouting..." Sonic grumbled, and started to push himself up, but lost his handholds and slumped back against the mat. "Knuckles drugged me again, didn't he?"

"Tikal said yes."

"Should've known better then to fall asleep....." Sonic grumbled, and settled back against the hay. "He did this on purpose. Probably knew I wanted to go running today....cheater...."

There was a chuckle, "You know that our body is still not fully up for that, right?" Shadow asked turning around and wrapping an arm on the blue hedgehog's waist.

"Maybe you're not, but I still could've gone..." Sonic sighed, letting Shadow have his way, since a hug was harmless enough. "You were fine enough to pounce me this morning..."

"Pouncing and running are two different things..."

"You're just lazy..." Sonic muttered, rolling his eyes. "But I'll let you get away with that for now."

"You better." The Guardian exclaimed returning into the cavern, "If you try to drag him into a run or something in the condition he's in I'm going to tie you in the same why we found him."

"Morning to you too, Red." Sonic called back, turning his head enough to glare. "And what's the big idea, shoving stuff down my throat in my sleep?"

"I'm just keeping you from hurting yourself more than you already have." He said kneeling near Shadow and looking at him.

"I could've sworn I told you before that I don't hurt myself..." The hedgehog grumbled, looking put out. "You're just being a jerk."

"No, I'm not." He said curtly as he started examining the black hedgehog's body, Shadow raising an eyebrow at him in confusion.

"Yes. You are." Sonic replied, mimicking the other's tone. "I'm not hurt anyway. It's been a week..."

"Hmmm... do you still feel weak and dizzy when you're away from Shadow?"

"Haven't had a chance to try again, remember?" Sonic growled. "You still won't let me leave the cave after I collapsed the first time, and since you've poisoned me again, I can't go right now."

Knuckles looked at him, "Well, then..." He said grabbing Shadow and standing up. Without saying a word, he walked on the other side of the cave, tugging along the black hedgehog still in his arms who was trying hard to not strangle him, "Now?"

"What are you doing...?" Sonic asked struggling to get up, and trying to ignore the sudden, painful tug at the back of his mind and in his chest. It was starting to become more than a little hard to breathe properly.

The guardian looked at Shadow, that was starting to struggle in his arms, then back at Sonic, "How do you feel?"

"Besides confused, and tired..." Sonic mumbled, his vision starting to swim, and he tried to push himself back up so he could get closer to Shadow and make the dizzy spell stop.

"Do you feel that something is lacking in you?" He asked trying to keep the hedgehog in his hands still and calm.

"Darnit, Knux stop. It hurts..." Sonic whined, bringing his hands from the wall to his head, the pain slowly growing from sharp pangs to ringing, constant jolts. "You've made your point already..."

The echidna nodded and moved back to the mat, placing the angry and squirming black creature next to the blue one, "I can see that..." He muttered walking out of the cavern and leaving them alone again.

"Jerk..." Sonic hissed after him, holding back a whimper. Too late to stop a headache, damn his own pride. Shadow panted heavily, as one would after a long period of exertion without any rest.

"What...just happened?" He asked, trying to relax and shove the uneasiness away, but only managed to push it to what felt like the bottom of his stomach.

"Knuckles told me, while you were out...that something happened when Amy broke the rite circle. Some of me got left in you, and I took some of you with me. All that stuff..." Sonic was more worried about holding his head together rather than explaining the details. "And now we can't get too far away from each other. Or at least, I can't for sure. Hurts like hell...last time, I keeled over and Amy was positive I'd died. Screamed right in my ear until I woke up."

"Last time? What happened last time?" He asked as he sat up and tried to soothe his fur back down with his hand.

"I just told you. It hurt so bad I passed out." Sonic brought his hands away for a moment, waiting to see if the pain was over, and pleased to find it was.

"Then why you just didn't come back before you passed out?"

"It didn't start to hurt until I was outside, and by the time I decided that I should come back and lie down, I was too out of it to see straight." Sonic shrugged. "Went the wrong way, and ended up in a heap, luckily where Knux could see me." He grinned, looking a little abashed. "He was pissed..."

"I'd bet. Hearing it from you, it sounds like you were going to die..." He muttered out as he finally managed to quell the unsettling aches and nausea. "I guess that we're stuck like this for a good while."

"At least until Knuckles lets us out of the cave..." Sonic sighed. "And I wasn't going to die. It just hurts, and I have no desire to feel pain."

"So you don't mind me always clinging to you?" The ruby eyes held a glint, and coupled with the grin etched into the tan muzzle, Sonic knew immediately that Shadow was thinking dark thoughts. Sonic caught the look, and gave him a warning glare in return.

"As long as you're nothing like Amy with the hugging every time you see me, we're fine. Not like I can run away from you, anyway..."

The black hedgehog neared his mouth to Sonic's ear, "I'm sure that you would never run away from me even if you could, right?" The hushed tone sent chills through the hero, and Sonic fought the shiver for a moment, but relaxed.

"You don't scare me enough to make me run." He smiled, still keeping an eye on the other, just in case he tried something.

"Because we would never frighten you, if we can help it. We don't wish to make you run away. We don't want you to leave us." He planted a kiss near the partly-folded ear.

Another shiver, this one evident.

"You couldn't scare me if you tried. Surprise me sure, make me angry, you've done that. The few times I've truly been scared either involved water, Amy, or someone I care about getting themselves almost killed." Sonic gave the other furry a look that spoke on its own.

The dark hedgehog smiled, "We are relieved to hear that."

"You sound like you expect me to suddenly get up and disappear." Sonic began mussing the white tuft as he usually did when Shadow got this close. He enjoyed playing with it, so soft and it stood out against the surrounding fur.

"Well, you might not do that, but we can't help but fear it..." He answered lowering his head and looked at Sonic's hand playing with his white fur.

"There's no might about it, I'm stuck here as much as you are, and I don't plan on leaving any time soon." Sonic shrugged, or did something as close to the gesture as he could get anyway. "Unless I die or something, which I'm doubting will happen."

"We won't let that happen."

Sonic laughed, but there didn't seem to be much humor in it. "Yeah well, if it happens it happens. But again, I doubt it will, unless it's Amy strangling me with another hug, though she's kept her distance a little more lately. Think she might've finally figured it out."

The black hedgehog's eyes narrowed as the less naive personality took over for a brief moment, and he looked at the cave entrance, "Watch your back when near her, Sonic. She is planning something. I'm sure of that." He said, turning back to face the blue hedgehog and delivering a quick peck on his lips; or it should've been a quick peck. Sonic's hands traveled to the other's shoulders, holding him there a little while longer, then breaking away, a smirk gracing his muzzle.

"Suddenly realized how much I missed that..."

Shadow grinned, "We did also.." He said, as he closed his eyes and leaned onto Sonic's chest.

"You're tired already?" Sonic let one hand move from the dark hedgehog's shoulders up into the ebony quills, tangling them lightly in his fingers. "You just woke up..."

"Just want to be held. That's all..." He muttered softly as the darker personality receded once again.

"Ah.." Sonic weaved the other arm around Shadow's back, smiling. "That better?" He asked, trailing his hand up through the quills.

"Yes." He said as he closed his eyes and let himself be cuddled by the other hedgehog.

"I'm tempted to start messing with your ears, you know...." Sonic mused, letting his hand wander in that direction. "But you'll either fall asleep or pin me again..."

"Or Knuckles is going to throw a fit on you..." He concluded for him.

"Yep..." Sonic heaved a sigh then gushed, "But they're just so cuuuuute..."

"Cute? My ears? Why are they cute?"

"Because I said so." Sonic countered, giving in to his temptation and beginning to rub said cuteness. "You get all cuddly and stuff when I mess with them..." The black hedgehog flicked his ears and gave a soft chuckle. "What's so funny, Shadow?" Sonic murmured, still fiddling with the twitching ears.

"I like it when you mess with my ears." He said, flicking them again.

Sonic smiled, and scratched the moving targets gently, before leaning a little closer and kissing them. "I know you do. One of the reasons I enjoy it so much."

"I do wonder... what will you do 'that day?'"

"'That day' what?" Sonic inquired, still enjoying his fun with Shadow's ears, but pausing long enough to ask.

"When you were in our minds, you told us that you would chose a day where we could not pounce on you, no matter what, where you would show us..." He said, reciting the words of the blue hedgehog.

Sonic smiled, thinking about it. "Well, I suppose it depends on what's going through our minds that day..." A shrug. "Different things we could do I suppose...when we're ready for them. Rushing things never make it better."

Shadow nodded, "We're just curious, is all."

"Don't think about it too hard, or you'll make both our brains hurt." Sonic warned him, playfully.

"Alright..." He said pouting a little, but resumed enjoying the strokes on his ears. Sonic was enjoying it too, but frowning in thought.

"You know, it's weird...usually by now somebody's tried to ruin the moment...I'm probably jinxing this, but it makes you wonder..." Shadow was going to say 'Well, maybe this time is the right one', but as soon as he opened his mouth, Tikal flew into the cave in orb form.

"Never mind..." He mumbled out as he let his head sink into Sonic's chest, giving a muffled cry of rage for being interrupted again for the hundredth time. Tikal didn't notice them at first, but when she did, she immediately transformed to her flesh self.

"I'm sorry," She said breathlessly, "...but well, she was throwing a bit of a fit and..."

"Get off of me!!!"

"Just keep moving, girl. I don't want to waste anymore herbs on you than I have to."

Shadow's quills and fur stood all on end as he felt his other personality slightly shift into his mind to take control of his body; however, for the moment he limited himself on a low and dangerous growl.

Amy trotted into the cave without even a sideways glance, but still catching the scene from the corner of one eye. Instead of stopping, however, she continued on, stomping straight into her little off-shoot of a room with a hissing grumble of defiance.

The black hedgehog narrowed his eyes and snarled viciously, showing his teeth to her; he needed just one reason, and he would jump at her with all the intention to make her suffer what he had himself during the recent stretch of time. Fortunately for her, the pink hedgehog took no notice, and Tikal, as soon as the girl was in her room, settled back into her orb form with a loud sigh, floating around the entry as a guard. Knuckles moved out of the cave's entryway seconds later, a loud growl echoing behind him.

The black hedgehog's ear swirled in his direction, but hardly moved his eyes from the entrance of 'Amy's room.'

"She seems...angry..." Sonic observed, still gazing in that direction.

Shadow seemed to calm down and he finally regarded the Guardian, "What happened? Has the little whelp tried to swim away from the island?"

"No." Knuckles was also watching the girl's room. "She started a fire while I wasn't looking and tried to make a smoke signal. She's resourceful, I'll give her that much." The dark hedgehog growled deeply in thought, then regarded the echidna in a low voice and one of his eerie grins.

"Why don't you just tie her up somewhere?" He asked chuckling at the idea, "Then she can learn how unpleasant it is..."

"Sonic refused to let me, for one." Knuckles gestured to the blue hero, and the sharp look the sapphire gave Shadow for mentioning the idea confirmed the Guardian's words. "And I'm also not that cruel. I wouldn't be surprised if Chaos helped you if you happened to run the idea by him, though. He's still...displeased with her."

Shadow's eyes glistened and the grin widened, "Very well, then. I shall have a talk with him later. Until then..." The red eyes flickered as the personality retreated to the back of the hosting mind.

Knuckles gave Sonic an odd look, before turning his back to leave. "I'm not going to say a word." Sonic narrowed his eyes at him, knowing the explanation the echidna had already cooked in his mind, and glaring at him as he left.

Shadow looked up at the blue hedgehog, "What?" He asked a little confused, having lost the main part of the action because the other Shadow had fully taken control of his body, leaving him in the darkness.

"He's just being stupid. Ignore it." Sonic muttered, still evil-eying the cave entrance.

"Ok..." He said relaxing into Sonic's arms, then, there was a faint rumble coming from his stomach, "Guess I'm hungry..." He muttered looking at it and placing a hand there.

"Ditto..." Sonic sighed. "Think you can stand? I'm hoping the drugs have worn off by now, but if you can't walk yet, there's no point in me trying..."

"I'll try." Shadow answered as he stood on his knees, then very carefully, he started getting on his feet, testing if the posture was as stable as it was meant to be, "I guess I can." He said, leaning a hand on the cavern's wall for support.

"Yay! That means food!" Sonic braced himself against the wall and pushing himself upright beside Shadow, grinning. Then he paused peering at Shadow, as though he'd just noticed something.

The black hedgehog, noticing his stare, looked at his own body in search of something strange, "What?" He asked confused as he saw nothing but black and red fur.

"You're....taller than me..." Sonic blinked, then stood on his toes for a moment, only just reaching Shadow's height. "By like...a half inch....or a little more..."

"Really?" He asked looking at the other hedgehog, "I thought that we where the same height..."

"I thought so too...." Sonic tried again. "No...looks like you're taller...you're not wearing your shoes right now, and neither am I....this really sucks, you can already Chaos Control, how come you're the taller one?"

Shadow shrugged, "Genetics?" He asked uncertain.

"This is so unfair..." Sonic pouted. "If you beat me when we finally get around to having a race, I'm blaming it on the fact that your legs are probably longer. You and your unfair advantages...."

The black hedgehog laughed, "Well," He said after calming down, "I was created this way. Gerald tried to give me a perfect body."

"Gerald created. How am I supposed to beat you if you're perfect?" Sonic was taking a few small test steps from the wall, making sure to never get too far from the other.

Shadow followed him, "I already told you, Sonic. This body may seem perfect, but has a major defect..."

"I know, the Drainage thing." Sonic waved it off. "But I'm not using THAT on you. I don't want you to die or anything."

"I know." He said as he walked towards the entrance of the cave. The tug started, and Sonic turned after the darker hedgehog, taking careful steps after him, so the link wouldn't be stretched again.

"Good to hear it. Now...let's find something to chow down on. I've got the munchies."

Knuckles was outside the cavern, eating a strange apple while he was relaxed against a tree; his eyes looked up as he saw the two hedgehogs walk out of the cave, "Didn't I tell you to lay down?" He asked with a sigh.

'If I don't move, he won't see me...no wait, that's motion detectors...' Sonic stilled anyway. "Um....if I say no....will you still hit me?"

"And have Shadow angry with me? No, thanks."

"Yes!!!" Sonic would've danced if he wasn't afraid he'd fall and hurt himself, thus making Shadow agree that they should remain in the cave.

"What was that, hedgehog?" He asked resuming eating the apple like fruit, "If you keep that up, I'm going to knock both of you out so I won't worry about the other Shadow and you'll get more rest."

"I've rested all week.." Sonic griped, and looked around for whatever tree the Guardian had gotten his food from, hoping it was nearby.

Shadow walked and sat next to the echidna and eyed the basket of strange apples lying next to him, "Can I have one?"

Knuckles looked at him with an eye, "All yours." He said standing up and walking to the pond to get some water to drink.

Sonic blinked after him, and sat beside Shadow, watching the echidna walk away. "I will never figure you two out..." He shook his head.

"Why?" He asked simply as he took a fruit and started eating it.

"You and Knux, you're both oddballs...." He still hadn't torn his eyes from the retreating figure. "You try sparring him and you'll see what I mean. He knows exactly where you're going before you get there and everything..."

"Ummmm... We'll do that as soon as we can stand."

"You can stand now." Sonic pointed out, eyeing the fruit.

"Stand as in be able to spar, run, or do things without worrying about falling on the ground..."

"Details, details." Sonic waved the words away as one would a fly.

"Then get up, walk to Knuckles and ask if you can spar with him. If you can last five minutes we will take into consideration on doing that too." He said throwing away the nut of the fruit and taking another one.

"Why?" Sonic asked, giving in to hunger and choosing one of the fruits for himself. "I'm in no mood to get smacked across the jaw today."

"Neither are we." He said biting the new apple in his hands.

Sonic shrugged and took a small bite of his own food, leaning onto Shadow as he did so, "Suddenly, I feel the urge to go shove Knuckles into the water...."

"Then why don't you do that?" He asked gulping down the piece that was in his mouth and taking another.

Sonic chewed thoughtfully, then swallowed to answer. "Because I've tried before. I know what'll happen."

"He'll sidestep?"

"He could, I suppose. But since he can swim and all, he doesn't really care if he gets wet." Sonic shrugged, gazing at the fruit as though contemplating the mysteries of life. "Usually he just grabs my arm and drags me in too. Once he actually held me under."

"Is that why you hate water?" He asked looking at the pond.

"Hated it before then. That happened years ago." Sonic took another bite, chewing quickly. "Just a little more careful about getting dumped into it now."

Shadow looked at him, confusion and worry in his eyes, "What happened?"

"What do you mean?" Sonic took a rather large bite. Sure he was avoiding the question, but hey, a guy had to at least try, didn't he?

The black hedgehog almost rolled his eyes, "What happened to you that made you hate water so much."

"Happened when I was a kid." He shrugged and settled back, debating taking another bite to ward it off a while longer, but curiosity got the better of him. "Why do you want to know?"

"I'm just curious, but if it's a trauma then I'll not propose you to learn how to swim..."

Sonic shrugged. "Even if you 'proposed' it, I wouldn't want to." He let the apple-ish fruit move away from his mouth, "But since you're curious, I'll tell you enough to let you get the idea." He was focused more on the food than the other hedgehog. "Alright?"

"Only if you wish, Sonic. I won't press you. Neither the other Shadow."

"Fine by me..." Another shrug, this one just to prove how indifferent he was to the situation. "I guess, I'll just keep to the bigger details. When I was little, I was a lot more...hyped than I am now. You know, the whole 'I can do anything better than everybody'....and I challenged the wrong element. Got myself caught underwater, like...a foot from the surface, and I couldn't get out."

"That explains your trauma.... you were young, impressionable back then..." He said with a nod, "How did you get out?"

"Passerby. I got lucky and somebody noticed my head hadn't come up for a good few minutes." He brought the fruit back up, examining it. "Never actually got to thank them, too busy trying to remember how to breathe air instead of water."

The black hedgehog grabbed his partner and brought him into a soft hug, "We're sorry to hear this..."

"What for?" Sonic murmured, shifting to nuzzle into the hug. "No one died or anything."

"But you got traumatized..."

"Not traumatized so much as developing a hate for water." Sonic laughed. "I'm fine really; I don't go around water often anyway, so it's fine. Besides, you enjoy using my fear to your advantage, remember?" Shadow shrugged for a minute then edged in close to the blue hedgehog.

"Guess you're right." He gave the smaller male another quick peck on the lips, smiling as he did so. Sonic laughed, and leaned back, seeming to try and look angry and amused at once.

"Don't you start that, or Knuckles'll kill us both for ruining his fruit."

The dark creature looked at the basket, "Ruining his fruit? I don't see how a small kiss will ruin his fruit..."

"I don't, and you don't, but believe me, he'll find a way to prove we've given his fruit cooties or something." Sonic made a half-hearted attempt to look scary on the word 'cooties.'

Shadow laughed softly, "I guess that I'll have to take you into the forest to get some time alone, eh?" Taking another bite of his fruit, the dark being leaned back to place his weight on the tree trunk behind him.

"You sound like the villain in a storybook." Sonic followed his partner's example and turned his attention back to his own food. "But that sounds like a good way to get away..."

"What villain?" He asked between mouthfuls and raising an eyebrow.

"Just the villain. There's only ever one in a storybook. Lots of minions, one bad guy. You don't sound like a specific one." Sonic shrugged.

"Ah..." He said as he tossed the new nut away, right next to the other, "Then I guess, like all villains do, that I have to kidnap you, maybe even tie you up, and then bring you somewhere in the forest one night so you can be all mine... what you say?"

"You sound so evil when you talk like that..." Sonic might've giggled if he wasn't...well, Sonic. Being a hero strictly forbade giggling. That was the heroine's job, but since he didn't have one, he could forgive himself. "I'll be the 'damsel in distress' and the hero all in one. Whoo!"

"Are you thrilled with that? 'Cause between the two of us, we can put up a plot for tonight..." He said snickering happily as he felt the other cotenant of his body become excited at the idea of stealing Sonic away.

"You sure you'd be up to it by tonight?" Sonic poked him with the core of his finished fruit, not believing that it had taken him so long to eat it. He'd been ravenous when he started, but the hunger had somewhat ebbed away.

"You forgot what we're best at, and I feel that the other Shadow is rubbing his hands together, starting already to scheme without me..." He said raising his eyes to the sky and peeking what the other entity was doing in his part of the mind, "Oh... Let me correct myself...he already has a rough plan."

"Oh dear. Perhaps I should sleep near Knuckles tonight so you two can't get me." Sonic raised an eyebrow.

Shadow stood in silence as he talked with the other personality about that, then, a few seconds later, he grinned at Sonic, "He said that he has a solution to that too."

"I'm frightened already..." Sonic reached for another fruit, planning on eating this one more leisurely. "I'll have to find a safe spot from the horrid monster of the story..." He took a bite, looking far too laid back to feign taking Shadow's 'threats' seriously.

"We'll see, Sonic. We'll see tonight."

"Maybe I should have Knux drug you..." Sonic mused, "Then I can sleep soundly...of course, you'll prolly have me pinned again when I wake up..."

The black hedgehog laughed soundly as he took another apple like fruit and stood up, stretching, "I'm not sure the Guardian will drug me. I'm already better."

"I could hide..." Sonic pointed out. "There are enough off-shoots in the cave for it. I could hide and you'd never mind me."

"You sure? I can track you down, you know. Quite easily in fact."

"How so?" The hero's eyes left his food for a moment, watching the other hedgehog.

"Since the rite... we can feel your presence anywhere." He answered, giving him a wide, sly grin.

"Well, darn." Sonic sighed, his smile giving him away. "Looks like I'm doomed to be yours for the night. Not like I won't try to escape though. That's the whole point of the story.."

"Then tonight." He said walking to the pond and crouching next to the Guardian to get a drink of the fresh water. It wasn't that great a distance from Sonic, so the blue hedgehog would not suffer from the stretching of the link.

Sonic watched him go, smiling still. He'd give Shadow tonight, as a small gift. He could always jump him another day, and since he was allowed already to choose which day he got, he could bide his time. Sonic wasn't the patient type but, well...for this, he could wait.

The black hedgehog glanced back at Sonic and grinned with acknowledgment in his eyes, then he turned and cupped some water in his hands, "Hello, Knuckles. How was the day?"

"Ecstatic." The Guardian grumbled, showing the dry humor of the word. "We played babysitter because Amy was tired of sitting in the cave watching you and Sonic cuddle in your sleep. She still insists you've got him possessed, you know...."

"Although, the fruits' a good thing, if it lasts through Sonic." He glanced back, "Or the old Sonic at least. He must be coming down with something..."

Shadow raised an eyebrow, "What you mean?"

"If you'd known Sonic before all this happened, you'd have seen the way he usually eats." Knuckles shook his head. "I was expecting to come back to an empty basket, but there it sits, practically full. Any other day, before recent events, Sonic would've had at least half that amount of food in his stomach the second I turned my back on it."

"Oh, that!" He exclaimed sipping the water, "Maybe it's our fault if he doesn't eat like usual."

"Maybe..." Knuckles flicked water from his hands gently, reaching for his gloves, since he hadn't wants them wet. "You don't have the monstrous appetite he does...then again, you run more on Chaos Energy. Sonic has his own, but that's not enough for him to survive on it alone."

"The other Shadow, which strangely appears to think more than me even if he is mad, believes that maybe when the rite was interrupted, we ended up making Sonic 'run' completely on Chaos Energy like us." He looked at him in the face, "What do you think?"

"I think that, if that's true, my fruit will be safer for one." Knuckles pulled one glove on, and flexed his fingers to get them comfortable. "And perhaps Sonic will also inherit your ability to Chaos Control. I daresay that will come in handy if things turn out in such a manner..."

Shadow turned serious, "He might have also inherited......" He looked back at the water and sighed deeply.

"What?" Knuckles asked, pulling the other glove on inside out, then frowning and taking it off to right the process.

"First... he could have my same problem with Chaos Drainages... second, good or bad, depending on how you look at it, he could be....immortal.... like me..." He said closing his eyes and sighing once more.

"Well, then I suppose that solves one problem; we won't have to watch him grow older. Not that his mind ever really matured past the intelligence of a two year-old." Knuckles frowned. "Although the Drainages will present a problem. His level is not yet even half of yours. He will have to be careful.."

"Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on him and teach him how to use Chaos Energy correctly without throwing it away." He scooping up another handful of water and sipped it carefully.

"Good news to hear. I have no longing for Sonic to go before I do."

The black hedgehog snickered, "You two always bicker, but you are good friends. Too bad that you two won't admit that to yourselves, and to each other."

"Sonic is nothing more to me than a child who needs to be hit a few times in order to grow up." Knuckles muttered, replacing his other glove finally.

Shadow's grin widened, "If you say that, you sound like you want to be his dad..." He said, keeping up his snickering.

"I no more desire to be related to him than I want my arms stapled behind my back." Knuckles ground out, still fidgeting with a glove. "I simply owe him a debt, and if he gets himself killed..." He let it trail.

"All words, Knuckles, all words; which are not covering the fact that you love him as a friend and maybe family member. I'm sure that you already paid your debt a long time ago." He looked at him, his eyes glinting with a strange wisdom, "Am I right?"

A snort was his only answer, but it was all the answer Shadow would've needed to know he'd guessed correctly. "You are too observant for your own good, hedgehog."

"Are you going to kill me for that? Or maybe put me out again for the next week?" He faked concern as he spoke, only half-realizing how much like Sonic he sounded, "Either way, your little secret won't be spilled. I'll keep my mouth shut. After all... it's a secret, right?" He asked regarding the Guardian with a small smirk on his lips.

Another snort, and Knuckles turned, halfway, as though he was going to start back to the cave. "I doubt striking you would solve much. But I would thank you if you didn't try telling Sonic I actually care what happens to the little beast." He growled. "He'll start getting ideas and put himself down again."

Shadow laughed heartedly, "Do you really think that my twin and I..." He tapped his head to indicate the other entity, "will actually allow to him endanger himself in such a way? Or in any other?"

"It's not so much a matter of you letting him. He's crafty enough, if he wants to be." Knuckles shook his head. "At times I would kill him if I thought I could, the things he puts me through. Still, this is his nature, far be it from me to change him."

"Maybe, but now you have help..." He said tilting his head and widening his grin a little, "We won't let others hurt him, even if it will kill us..."

"It is fine that you will protect him, Shadow, but make sure you live through it." Knuckles gave him a warning gaze. "Losing you will destroy Sonic, now more likely than ever, and not just because of the link you two now share."

Shadow sighed and stood up, "Yes. That we know, he would spiritually die if we die, and that, we can't let happen."

"At least you understand. Now to keep Sonic on a short leash until we're sure his moving more than ten feet from you won't put him into a coma..."

The black hedgehog returned to being of a happy humor, "Don't worry about that, Guardian, we have some plans that involves being together." He said showing a wide grin, looking away in thought and fidgeting with his hands.

"Suddenly I'm more worried than ever..." The scarlet male shook his head, starting for the cave. "Just don't leave the island and keep whatever you do quiet. I'm going back to sleep, since Tikal wants me to take the early morning watch shift over Amy."

"Will do, Knuckles, will do." He said as he watched the echidna retreat into the cavern, then, his eyes shifted on the blue form still under the three. Sonic had dozed off, more or less, eyes drooped down and breathing steady, and didn't notice Shadow's approach, too busy silently dreaming.

The black hedgehog crouched next to him and caressed his cheek, "Tonight... you're all mine." He whispered into his ear, kissing there. Sonic muttered something, and leaned against the other's hand on his cheek, a smile crossing his face as he slept on, the doze becoming deeper within the second. The leftover from the fruit he'd been eating tumbled away as the hand once holding it fell from his lap to his side.

Shadow smiled and shook his head, then he cradled the blue hedgehog in his arms and walked towards the cavern, "Don't worry... soon you'll get used to exclusively relying on Chaos Energy." He whispered nuzzling his cheek with his own, "After all... you have... a whole... life."

Sonic's reply was a soft coo, and he returned the awkward nuzzle sleepily, one hand moving to the other's chest and ruffling the tuft there. Even in his sleep, it was his favorite trait about Shadow, besides the dark one's ears. The obsidian hedgehog smiled, kissing the other near the ear, then placed him on the mat and sat off to the side, cross-legged.

'And now, shall we begin?' He mentally asked to his 'twin'.


	15. Chapter 15 — Move It or Lose It!

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Chapter 15 - Move It or Lose It!

(Part-One)

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Sonic awoke much faster than he had in the past few weeks. Lately he'd woken slowly, allowing the world around him fade into his senses rather than being snapped into focus. Of course, he'd felt safer then, though the exact reason why still blurred in the back of his mind when he attempted pinpointing it. Now something was wrong. His hands were trapped together, but there wasn't a pair of warm hands holding them down, nor was there a weight on his chest, and yet, he couldn't move.

So, it was no surprise that he automatically began to struggle almost wildly, trying to escape.

A faint rustle came from the direction his back was toward, then footsteps that were only just audible in the thickly-growing grass; The blue hedgehog threw his head back and tried to peer into the darkness, but his approaching captor was invisible, too well blended with the pitch background of the night.

GUN!! Sonic's first panicked thought, as he strained to see who he was up against, tired mind quickly spiraling into a frenzy. He flailed for a moment, then dropped to the ground, noticing the absence of pulling in his link; he either wasn't too far from the cave or... They've got Shadow too!!!

His night visitor paused close enough to him that he could sense their presence well enough to know they were mulling over something; probably seeing him struggle with his bindings, futile as it was. Then the silhouette began to move, staying just out of his sightline, almost teasing the bound male with brief glimpses.

Sonic blinked and made a motion to turn his head toward the pacing, but even when he did so, he was unable to see who the figure was. They were blurred by the night around them, and because of the distance separating them, Sonic could see no reliable features of the other, not even his height for certain. So the mysterious person continued circling as one would its prey. And Sonic was beginning to get annoyed.

Seriously annoyed.

Mostly because he didn't like this person being quiet, since it disproved any theories on who it was, save GUN. Robotnik would gloat surely, and Amy would never have shut up. Of course, he'd never thought she would try to kill someone before now either, but times changed people.

Since he couldn't see them however, maybe he could at least scare them off? Sticking to that plan, he uttered a soft growl from deep in his throat. And in response to his growl, there was another, deeper than his own. His bluff wasn't working then.

Oh great, it's a wild animal... Sonic cringed, but shook that idea from his head. Wait, wild animals don't creep into caves, drag people out, and then tie them up so they can't move around when they wake up....well, okay it MIGHT do the first two, but never the last one...and I don't like there are any animals here...sides us... He winced and pulled at his bonds uneasily. There was now only silence again as the stranger started walking around the blue hedgehog that trying to free himself; then, it stopped and seemed to lay on a tree, still musing its prey.

Oh I'll just bet you're enjoying this... Sonic spat at the creature in his mind, the only giveaway to his thoughts being the anxious frown crawling across his muzzle while he tested the knots of his bindings carefully, searching for weakness. When I get out of this, I'm really going to enjoy skinning you for a new pair of sneakers...

Suddenly, the mysterious person walked up from behind the blue hedgehog and pinned him face down, straddling him. His grip wasn't painful, but it was firm. Sonic gave a startled growl and at first tried to struggle. Of course, the other's grip allowed for none of that it seemed, so he stilled, another growl, this one not forced, rising from his chest in frustration.

The figure started slowly examining Sonic's body with an accuracy worth of a doctor with his hands, watching every hair of fur and every quill, watching how they moved under the light of the moon, feeling how soft it was, how they shined...

The instant he felt the stranger's hands on him he froze, eyes wide in shock. Then, Sonic slowly came back to his senses, and instead of just being afraid or disgusted, a fierce wave of anger rose, and he made an effort to lash out at the other. There was a series of chuckles as the mysterious one dodged to avoid the retaliation of the captured hedgehog, moving off of his victim and stopping a few feet away from him, obviously trying to suppress his laughter with great difficulty.

Sonic rolled onto his side as well as he could without twisting his bonds and hurting himself, proceeding to hiss angrily at the intruder of his personal space. At least now he could tell the other's gender, if only from his voice. How dare he even think Sonic would just let him put his hands anywhere near him. How dare he!!!

"Try that again, and I'll bite your hands off!!"

The unidentified person, now notably male thanks to the dark sound of his amusement, collapsed to the ground, shaking with muffled glee, until it was impossible to hold them in and he allowed a stream of deep chuckles to echo in the clearing.

Sonic blinked, confused, trying to get a better view, because it looked as though the other person was having a fit of some sort. Ears pricked forward in an endeavor to place the familiar voice, and Sonic couldn't focus well enough, too busy simmering in rage, and fretting in terror that not only was he bound, he was in the company of a crazy person. Not to imply that he didn't have experience with such people, but there had to be a line drawn at some point.

The creature, hidden by the darkness, finally managed to suppress his laughs, then he rolled on his side to look at Sonic. The hero forced his expression into that of a glare, though curiosity shone through his eyes like a beacon, still trying to remember the laugh, but since he couldn't recall hearing one like it before, he was at a bit of a loss. The closest he was coming was when Knuckles had seen him 'drowning' in a rather deep rain puddle while they'd been sparring in the lousy weather. As though he was sharing the memory, the mysterious person snickered, then resumed laughing, trying hard to not wake up the whole island, his sides visibly shaking beneath the few moonlight rays filtering through tree foliage.

A sudden match struck through Sonic's mind and he stilled, recognizing the sound, but too surprised to move now. It was almost exactly like the laugh Shadow had given when they were back at the house in Station Square, and Knuckles had played the ice cube prank on him. Since then he hadn't heard Shadow laugh so loudly, or freely, without him being insane at the time. No wonder the male's identity had escaped him previously.

"S...Shadow...?"

The figure stilled and turned around to look at him, then... he resumed laughing. That wasn't the answer Sonic wanted, although it was a confirmation. Pissed mode again.

"You...you jerk!!!" Sonic hissed, glaring at the male hedgehog angrily. "You scared me half to death, you know that?! I should shout for Knuckles and have him drug you and string you up by your feet!" The only answer was an increase in volume; it had been years since he had laughed like this, and not even with Maria had he felt the strangely brimming amusement at the other hedgehog's predicament. He curled up and gripped his abdomen, unable to stop.

"You just wait till I come over there..." Sonic began to twist with his bound hands, growling angrily. "I'm going to strangle you, and rip your quills out, and then I'll----" His voice trailed off in a series of vicious threats as he wore himself out with his struggling, too outraged to care. And yet Shadow paid him no attention, unable to do anything but laugh for several minutes, too amused to even think about the other hedgehog's threats. Finally, he quieted to a soft chuckle and turned to face his bounded partner, his ruby eyes filled with delight shimmering in the moonlight.

Sonic gave an irritated snort and averted his eyes, trying to rebrew up the bubbling spite he'd been filled with seconds ago. It seemed he'd vented it too well through, and the leftovers from his tantrum weren't enough to keep him from noticing just how strangely good-looking Shadow was at night. The darkness seemed to fit him better, and add a few rays of moonlight...he shook his head to clear away the forming blush.

The black hedgehog stood up and started walking towards the bounded creature on the ground, "We had planned on gagging you too, Sonic, but we decided otherwise. And we thought well... we have never laughed so hard before." As he spoke, his movement brought him into a moon ray wide enough to hit him completely, casting an illuminating effect similar to a glow.

Sonic noticed, but refused to let himself look completely. Curse Shadow and all his demonic good looks. "You should've gagged me then, because if you get close enough, I plan on biting you for revenge..."

The dark one raised an eyebrow at that, "Then I guess that we won't free you..." He said as he turned around and made to walk away.

"Wha?!" Sonic gasped and snapped his gaze to look at the retreating form. "You're not going to just LEAVE me?!"

He turned again and walked back, crouching next to him, "We'll free you only if you promise us to not bite us. Alright?" Sonic frowned, but nodded. He could always get Shadow back later or something. Maybe pour water on him some distant morning.

"Fine...I won't bite you, as much as you both deserve it."

The black hedgehog smirked and grabbed Sonic under the arms, raising him into a sitting position so he could free his hands, "You should have seen your face, Sonic. It was very comical." He said as he undid the knot.

"Funny to you, maybe. You had me scared out of my wits..." Another snort, but this one more forced. "I thought we'd all been captured again or something and then you started touching me..." A narrowed eye glare. Shadow walked in front of the blue hedgehog and started working on the bindings on his legs, pointedly ignoring the look.

"We're hurt, Sonic. You didn't even recognize our touch..." He said, pulling his sad facade up.

"First off, stop faking." Sonic muttered, rubbing his wrists, sore from his repeated yanking. "And second, it was dark, I was panicking, and how would you feel if someone randomly came up during the night and started getting all touchy-feely on you? Especially if you couldn't tell who it was!"

The black hedgehog shrugged and, having untied the blue furry's legs, stood up, "Do you really think that we would have let anyone take you away from us without unleashing hell on them?" He asked, getting to his feet and turning as if to leave.

"If my side of link wasn't being tugged, shouldn't I presume that you'd been captured too?" Sonic answered, massaging his ankles, though they didn't burn as much as his wrists. "You should've at least let me know it was you. I was all ready to tear you apart for tying me up and all."

Shadow turned his head, "And have all the fun ruined?" He asked showing his tongue.

"I should've bitten you when I had the chance." Sonic fumbled a little with regaining his full height. "You know, when you said you were going to play villain, and tie me up, I didn't think you were serious. You're such a sadist..."

The dark hedgehog now tilted his face to the side just barely, a wicked smile twitching at the corner of his mouth. "Thank you." Sonic rolled his eyes and followed for a minute, then paused, a scheme flitting through his mind, and he grinned, taking a step backwards and gently curving his path off into the trees. As soon as he felt that he was alone and not followed, Shadow turned around.

"Sonic?" He asked the empty air. The azure male covered his mouth, refusing to give himself away, moving slowly, only when Shadow did, and stilling the moment the darker hedgehog stopped walking to turn. The dark one knew that Sonic was hiding and moving with him, regarding to the link now they shared, but at the same time, he wanted to see what the blue hedgehog was planning, so he kept up the desired role.

Sonic moved as stealthily as he could, which amazingly was rather well, around to Shadow's back, keeping on the balls of his feet and under cover, knowing that his fur would attract Shadow's sight if he left the forest's darkness. Shadow kept up his 'clueless and random' walk, always keeping his mind on the blue hedgehog's position as he walked deeper into the forest.

Then Sonic struck, moving forward quickly and pouncing the darker hedgehog with a well-powered tackle.

"Gotcha!!!!"

The black hedgehog fell forwards, a bit surprised by the sudden tackle even if he knew that he was being followed, "So this is what you were planning...?"

Sonic kissed his cheek and squeezed the captive shoulders tightly. "It was either this, or seeing if you could catch me without Chaos Controlling. Of course, running away from you would've hurt and all, and this choice was the cuddlier option."

Shadow smiled, trying to quell a snicker. "You know... you're pinning me down..."

"More or less, but this way I don't have to worry about you being a villain and tying me up again." Sonic grinned, pressing his cheek to Shadow. "Sadist."

"So now you want to play the part of the villain with me being the 'damsel in distress'?" He asked as he pressed back, savoring their closeness.

"Nah...think I'll just be the hero, I play that best..." The blue hedgehog's grin widened. "...you can still be the damsel though, if you want..."

The black hedgehog raised an eyebrow, "What are you planning?"

"Planning?" Sonic asked innocently. "Who says I'm planning anything? Why do you and Knux always treat me like the bad guy, always planning something..." He tsked. "So suspicious...."

"Then, you're not planning anything?"

"Not really...the idea sort've ended with me tackling you..." If this had been an anime, Sonic would've sweat-dropped. As it was, he grinned droopily. "But we can always improvise or something..."

Shadow looked up at the sky, "Judging by the moon, midnight has passed." He said, grinning at Sonic, the usual glint of whenever he had something less than innocent on his mind gleaming in his eyes, "Do you know what this means?"

Sonic frowned thoughtfully. "Ummm....if I say no, am I going to find out in a way I'll like?"

"Well, you said that you would chose a day, where I would not be allowed to pounce you. A new day has started, and judging by our position...I can't pin you down..."

"Someone's being sly, aren't you?" Sonic laughed. "You're so impatient, and that's bad, coming from me, you know...." Shadow sighed and let his head fall onto the ground with a faint thud, knowing his suggestion was doom to rejection now.

"What can we do? We're curious..."

"Mmm-hmm...." Sonic rolled his eyes, but didn't move otherwise. "You're overly curious. Shouldn't let you rush things so much, you really need to settle down a little...and this seriously the pot calling the kettle black here."

"How can we settle if we don't even know what you've promised us?"

"Eh? I sounded pretty blunt to me..." The azure hedgehog blinked a few times.

"To you.... but to us you sounded quite mysterious back there..." Sonic twisted his frown into something more complacent, giving away the fact that though he was slightly confused he would be as helpful as possible.

"Where'd I lose you, exactly?"

"When you said, 'I get one day, of my choosing when you are not allowed to pounce me. No matter what.' while you were in our mind..."

"Ah that....you're reading too far into it, you know that? So eager to learn my secrets...I haven't pressed you for all of yours...." Sonic snuggled into the crook of the other hedgehog's neck.

"I'm not pressing you...I'm trying to deceive you into telling me...I never press. I'm far too sly for that."

"If you were sly, you'd never tell me that straight out, now would you?" Sonic was nuzzling his captive's neck, smiling. "You'd be all riddled and stuff, making me guess and chase answers. I know, cause Knux does it all the time..."

"Hn... I'm just being nice here with all the riddles...."

"Uh huh..." Sonic whispered, brushing his lips over the darker ones, emerald eyes half-lidded, but sparkling with a strange mischief. "Well..maybe I should thank you for being so kind to you then, shouldn't I...?" The black hedgehog looked back at Sonic with one eye as he was still face down, then he smiled a bit as he felt the other's lips on his.

Sonic suddenly sat back up, "But it is early morning and a certain five year old should be sleeeeeeeping..." He grinned and rolled off Shadow. Shadow growled out his frustration, his face falling immediately in disappointment.

"Fine. Damn it. Fine. We got the hint." He said as the other personality resurfaced and abruptly stood up, walking away and towards the cavern. The hero's brow furrowed, and he pondered sitting there and watching the other go, since he seemed to want to simmer for a little while. But the link was already tugging at him, warning a headache to come if he didn't start moving toward Shadow soon.

Now the black hedgehog was fuming badly and he steered towards the beach, trying to calm down and not to blow their cover with one of his Chaos Energy bursts aimed at a tree or a rock.

Sonic was moving after him, slowly after he'd reached the least painful limit of their link, now keeping a good ways back, to give Shadow his space. It looked like he'd seriously peeved the crimson and ebony furry off now.

Shadow finally reached the beach and looked at the horizon, "I hate you... all of you... damn you Gerald...damn you for having created me!" He snatched a small pebble near his foot and after looking at it several times, he walked into the water until it reached his ankles and stared down at his reflection, narrowing his eye to mere slits.

And I hate you the most." His words were a snarl more than anything, and he threw the pebble into the water, directly into the center of his face. Then with an angry hiss, he collapsed into the sea and sat there, looking at his submerged hands.

After the tantrum had ended, Sonic took the last cautious steps to Shadow's side, wincing as the cold water swept over feet and fur, and place a hand on his companion's shoulder, crouching down beside him.

"Sorry..."

"Hn... and for what? For having said only the truth? For saying out loud that I'm a five-year old in a weapon of mass destruction? Sonic, I'm supposed to go to the kindergarten or be frozen in a base because of how dangerous I am..." He said, as he stood up, shaking away his companion's hand, and looked again at his reflection on the water, "Not here..." He concluded, kicking the salt liquid.

Sonic sighed and backed a little out of the water, knowing that he was already wet, so being a little more so wouldn't hurt him, but also deciding that the water was too cold for his taste. "Technically, you're fifty five, you know. You just missed out on a few birthday cakes, that's all..." He shook himself a little to dislodge some of the water, and squeezed the nearest black shoulder sympathetically. "I'm really sorry...."

The black hedgehog slowly swatted away the hand on his shoulder, "Ahah... a fifty-five year old weapon of mass destruction housing a killer and a child..." He said, as he started to walk along the shore, knowing Sonic was moving with him.

"Both of which seem to enjoy beating themselves up over events beyond their own control...." Sonic replied, catching up quickly, being he had to deal with the link being stretched again.

"So what?" He asked, with a small growl.

"It's not healthy, locking yourself up, and blaming yourself." Sonic mumbled, watching the ocean warily out of the corner of one eye, since somehow he had ventured closer to the shore than Shadow. "You'll either make yourself sick, or get insomnia." Shadow took a deep breath, then he shakily released it, bringing his right hand to rub at his temple.

Despite his efforts to quell a rant, the words were already starting to tumble from his mouth. "I don't need you getting sick on me again Shadow, 'specially if it's like you were last time, when you forgot everything, and you almost died---what's that...?" He turned back to the ocean, because he'd looked away during his rave, to see the waves beginning to swell gently, and a distant humming sound, drawing closer by the second.

The dark furry turned around and squinted his eyes to see better; then, he felt his blood freeze and a chilled shudder ran down his back, "GUN..."

Sonic stilled immediately. "But...but they're not supposed to know where we ARE!!!" He blurted, backing away from the water, panic starting to take hold. "We've gotta get Knux....gotta get off this rock!!!!"

Shadow looked up, at the sky, then grabbed Sonic by the wrist, as a splitting headache started to well up into his head as the two personalities started to clash over the control of the body; he tightened his grasp. The hero was jerked out of a frenzied state by the sudden touch, and stared at the still hedgehog, surprised. He wasn't sure how GUN had learned their location, but he wouldn't go running off if Shadow wasn't right with him.

The black hedgehog hunched over, "We... have... to protect you... have to... protect... yes, protect... GUN... can come... after." It seemed that the innocent Shadow was trying to convince the killer one that Sonic's safety came first, and it seemed to work...

"Shadow, we gotta move, now...." Sonic whispered, his voice threatening to go an octave higher and become a whine. Already he was balancing on the balls of his feet, teetering as he fought the desperate urge to run. "We gotta warn the others, and at least get a head start."

The dark hedgehog snapped his head up to look at him in the eyes, "It's too late! We have to leave the island now before they catch us."

"I just said that! C'mon! We gotta go back and get Knux and Tikal and everybody!" His feet were already trying to move without him, so Sonic began to turn back to the trees.

Shadow grabbed him by the wrist and stopped him, making him turn around to face him, "No. We can't. It's too late! The bastards are already in the forest; they think that we're there too. We have to leave the island. Now!"

Sonic stared. "But...The others!! They're all back at the cave! Knux can fend for himself, but Tails! He's just a kid! He'd never survive if they treat him the way they did you! We can't just LEAVE them!!!"

"Sonic! Listen to me! You have to trust them and in their abilities! We can't help them. If we go, the bastards will surely have what they want!"

The green eyes were wide and shocked, and if it had been in Sonic's nature, he might've actually cried out against this. However, the hedgehog had been through too much in his own life to really develop the habit, since sitting somewhere and sobbing could get you killed. Instead he went almost limp, and gave a hesitant, defeated nod, bitterly letting his gaze flick back to the horizon.

The black hedgehog stood up, "I promise you that once we're safe, I'll plan out something to rescue them. GUN won't kill them; they'll think that they know our next destination." He said as he gently tugged him towards the sea.

Sonic let him for a minute, staring spitefully back at the approaching force. Then his senses snapped back into focus and he locked gaze on the expanse of water, then on Shadow. "You're not seriously thinking....?"

"Sonic. It's the only way out. If I Chaos Control, they'll pick up the Energy release and track me down where I appear. You have to trust me on this one."

Sonic made a soft noise of distaste, hiding his terror, but let Shadow keep hold of his wrist, glaring at the expanse of ocean before. "If I sink to the bottom of the sea and drown, I'm coming after you..."

The black hedgehog grinned and turned, showing his back to him, "Do not worry about that. We won't let you."

Another noise, and Sonic was visibly cringing as soon as they came into contact with their escape route. "Next time, I choose getting captured...."

"Sorry, that isn't an option we'll give you. Now, just cling to us and do as us say. Everything will be alright." He said, motioning to his back with his thumb.

"Says you..." Nevertheless, the sapphire hedgehog readily complied. At least Shadow didn't expect him to make an attempt to tread water on his own. That was like throwing a rock into the air and telling it to fly. It may sit suspended for a tenth of a second, but it would fall and leave a nice little dust cloud where it landed.

As soon as he felt the blue hedgehog cling on his back, Shadow slowly and quietly made his way towards the open sea, at first walking, then swimming with grace in the cool water. Sonic wasn't really paying attention to the calm water, nor the liquid movements of his partner. He'd long since shut his eyes, hugging the pitch black body tightly, petrified of letting go, and far too frightened of opening his eyes until they were out of the water.

The black hedgehog stopped as soon as he was nearby the military boats, "Sonic. Now you have to take a deep breath. We will have to go under to pass the ring of boats." He whispered as he looked carefully at GUN's means of transport. He wanted to destroy them so badly, but he knew that Sonic's safety was top priority in his short list of things to do.

"Whatever, as long as we're out of here REALLY soon...." Sonic quickly breathed in as deeply as he could and held it, burying his face amongst the jet quills in Shadow's back, trying to think of anything other then letting go of Shadow's back by accident and drowning.

Shadow inhaled a big breath too, then, with a graceful motion, he dove under, going down several feet before starting swimming to get on the other side of the barricade of boats. During the entire journey, he kept the blue hedgehog's arms safe around his neck, to reassure him that he would never let go and that everything was safe.

Then again, 'safe' wasn't really one of Sonic's favorite descriptions for their surroundings. The hero felt comforted by the darker furry's touch, but he'd be even better off if they weren't underwater, beneath a little armada. Finally, the dark furry started to swim towards the surface and slowly broke, producing a faint splash that could be easily mistaken for a wave crashing against a boat.

Sonic didn't really notice, his ears down, and eyes squeezed shut, while his torso had curled in on itself, attempting to become as small as possible. They were only lucky that the water had loaded his quills with too much water for them to rise, or Shadow would've been the blue blur's pincushion twenty times over.

The black hedgehog gently patted Sonic's arms, "You can breathe now." He whispered soothingly.

One eye opened slowly, the other following uncertainly. "We're clear?" Sonic looked relieved, like he had been on the verge of death; the fact that in his mind, he was may have borne some impact.

Shadow faintly shook his head, "Not by much," He said keeping his voice low, "We'll have to swim further into open sea till they're done with the islands."

"Open sea...?" The azure color faded, and Sonic's tan muzzle looked almost white. "That's like going in the middle of an involuntary diet group as a hamburger! There are sharks and things in open sea! We might as well wear a sign reading 'Eat me!'"

The dark creature rolled his eyes, "Sonic, you're being paranoid." He started with a small snarl, "We told that I, no, WE would not let anything happen to you. And sincerely, sharks have the last position on the list of my worries." He said, as he started swimming away from the small patches of land.

'Paranoid I may be, but that doesn't mean everyone's not out to get us...' Sonic mused, clutching the other hedgehog a little tighter, and turning his head just enough to see back toward the islands, worry replacing fear for a moment.

"Don't worry. They won't hurt them. Not even her."

"I know they won't bother Amy. She's on their side..." Sonic mumbled, not taking his eyes away. "But now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure she'll have 'em pay Knux back for the way he kept her in line before..."

"The Guardian is strong both in mind and body. He won't fall."

"Glad at least one of us is so sure. He may outlive me by a decade or two, but if he gets himself killed, we can kiss the Emeralds and quite a few other things bye-bye." Sonic gripped his friend a little more, telling without words that it wasn't the isle or gems he really worried about. "He's such a hard-headed idiot...he'll die fighting before he lets them chain him up..."

"He will resist. Trust him on this. He won't die at their hands." He responded as he sped up more.

With an almost invisible nod, Sonic settled back against the other, falling silent for a time. "Where are we going to go exactly? Just wait around in the water until they leave again...?"

"Since I do not know where we are exactly, I was planning on either swimming forwards until I could see land or wait here till they all left."

"Won't you get tired...?" Sonic was already loosening his grip a little, debating making an effort of his own to swim for a while, so Shadow wouldn't have to deal with the extra weight.

"You're forgetting what I am, Sonic. I was created to be able to endure days without food, little water and great strain. So this is nothing that can concern me." By now, the two where quite distant from the boats, and you could see only the small flickering of the lights.

The sapphire hedgehog shook his head. "Discomfort of that kind is the sort I'd prefer to stay clear of Shadow. Especially in the middle of the ocean. People go weird out here and stuff..."

The black hedgehog grinned as he resumed swimming towards the open ocean, "Think about this. It might be the only option to get back to mainland..."

"Of course it is..." Sonic groaned settling his chin somewhere between the back of Shadow's neck and shoulder. "There never a nice, old-fashioned easy way out of these situations, is there?"

"Hmmm..." That was the only answer as Shadow looked up at the stars, pondering at something.

"Hmmm what?" Sonic rolled his head just enough to peer at the other hedgehog's face, or close to it. "Don't all whimsy-thinky stuff on me, Shadow. I get enough from Knux with his meditating. I don't need you off in...wherever it is you smart people go.."

"I was thinking about the next move. As much as I want to go on a killing spree..." He sighed deeply, "I understand that the other Shadow is right..." He said a little angry.

"I'm glad you're seeing sense then." Sonic smiled reassuringly. "Though actually a massive killing spree is technically the last thing they'll be expecting..." It almost sounded like he was considering the prospect.

"Don't..." He muttered narrowing his eyes and pressing forwards.

"I'm not. Tempting offer, but I'm not that far along just yet." Sonic patted the other as well as he could, since he was still clinging for dear life. "Still..."

The black hedgehog turned as a faint sound of engine attracted his sharp hearing; the GUN, not having found him, was leaving the islands, "Finally..." Shadow muttered as he stood his ground, "Get ready to take a deep breath."

"I want you to know that if we die, I'll going to kill you later." Sonic grumbled, apprehensive.

"If we die, how are you going to kill me?"

"That's an irrelevant detail, Shadow." Sonic fumed. "I'll just possess someone and suck you into a vacuum cleaner or something."

"Hn."

"Alright, fine, I'll quit stalling." The hero grumbled, and tucked himself down against his partner's back. "Ready when you are, I guess..."

"Good." He said as he started swimming back towards the islands, "When I say so, take your biggest breath."

"...kay..." Sonic mumbled, before looking over his companion's shoulder toward the departing boats, most of which were heading directly toward them. He stilled, shocked. Shadow meant to actually dive back under the boats! Twice in one day! Coming out unscathed the first time alone was a surprise, and Sonic had gotten his fair enough share of those for today.

"Now." Shadow commanded in a whisper as he prepared himself for the dive.

Immediately, Sonic's head was down against Shadow's back, holding on tightly, just in case, and his breath caught in the back his throat. The black hedgehog dove underwater, swimming as far below as he could, feeling the water get colder and darker as the boats slowly passed under his position, wincing as the rippling pressure of the water pushed at him from all sides.

Sonic shuddered as the cold seeped into his fur, keeping a tight grip around the other hedgehog's shoulders, his eyes screwed shut. If they'd been open he couldn't have seen anything, but of course even if he could've seen the sunken city of Atlantis, Sonic wasn't planning on opening his eyes until they were back at the surface. Or even better, back on land.

Finally, the dark creature leveled his course, shaking his head to get the air in his ears out and hear better the sound of the boats over his head; he could pinpoint that they were halfway through the little armada.

Sonic, eyes stinging from the salt water, had finally given into curiosity and was peering upward toward the surface, watching the large shadows of the army above as the island was abandoned. His ears remained against his head, learning from Shadow's obvious discomfort, and loosened his hold when he saw the silhouette of none other than the Tornado being hauled by one of the larger boats.

The black hedgehog, feeling that the other lessen his grasp on him, gripped the other's arms tightly and pushed forwards, towards the island's shore, hoping to find it as deserted as it was supposed to be.

For a moment the hero had to fight the urge to struggle and make for the Tornado. Luckily, sense broke through, and he remembered that he couldn't have swum a stroke of the distance on his own. The ocean floor was a good ways down, and Sonic was in no hurry to see the scenery.

Shadow stopped in mid-course and swiveled his ears around, waiting patiently for all the boats to go away before he started to swim to the surface. His passenger, blinking slowly to rid his eyes of the stinging salt, was letting his eyes train after the boats, almost longingly. As soon as the boats were outside his hearing range, which was quite a good way, the dark creature started slowly swimming to the surface. Poking his head out of the water, he scanned the surroundings to see if there were boats or patrolling robots left on the island.

Sonic surfaced as well, a little less incognito than Shadow had, since he gave a rather loud gasp for air, breathing heavily. The trip had taken far too long for his liking, and for the first few minutes above water, all that mattered was getting oxygen into his lungs.

Shadow quickly turned around and placed his right hand over Sonic's mouth, "You want them to discover us?" He asked in a hiss and with narrowed eyes.

The hand was immediately pushed off, and the glare returned. "Well, I'm sorry I can't breathe underwater..." Sonic replied, tone evident of just how annoyed he was at the moment. With good reason in his eyes, since he was soaking wet. "Besides, they're gone, unless one of their boats is invisible."

The black hedgehog's eyes narrowed more, pure venom in them, "Do not, I repeat, DO NOT EVER underestimate GUN." He hissed in a vicious snarl.

Sonic had matched him at first, but he wasn't prepared for such a retort as the one he received. With a soft noise of surprise, and something like fear, He dunked his muzzle beneath the water, keeping his eyes on his companion's angered face.

Shadow's eyes softened, then he turned around slowly swimming towards the island, hiding in the waves to cover from eventual robots sentries left behind; when he was almost where a human could touch the floor, he started slowly swimming to the left, trying to scope the island's shore for possible enemies.

Sonic almost released the other hedgehog in surprise, since he hadn't been clinging as desperately when they surfaced. He caught on again though, and kept an arm looped over Shadow's waist, treading the water barely on his own, so he wouldn't have to be dragged. The water was shallow enough now that he wasn't as worried as he had been.

A minute or so passed in silence until the dark furry sighed deeply, "Sorry... if I snapped at you..."

"It's fine..." Sonic answered right away, his gaze in the trees, locked on some on the vegetation at the trunks' bases. "You didn't see anything move, right?"

"I'm not sure of this, Sonic. But even if I don't see anything... I don't like the idea of going back to the island..."

"So you like swimming that much?" The hero made a face. "I'm probably just being paranoid, Shadow. More than likely it was just a bird or something moving about."

"If it was a bird, I wouldn't be so edgy..." He muttered as he stopped and regarded the island with keen eyes, trying to spot what was wrong with it that made him feeling so uneasy.

"Maybe..." Sonic gave an awkward shrug. "There are other islands; don't know how we'd get off them though....they took the Tornado and all, and it's kinda far for me to force you into Chaos Controlling there..."

Shadow took a deep breath and let it out slowly, he was unsure of what to do.

If he went back to the island without knowing EXACTLY what was wrong, he could end up screwing both himself and his partner; on the other hand, it was open sea for days without water and food. And Sonic couldn't survive that.

Maybe not even he could...

"We COULD let ourselves get captured.....but that wouldn't be the most comfortable thing..." Sonic put a hand to his mouth in though, ears pricked forward as he watched the shoreline.

"I'd rather die swimming into open ocean than let myself get captured."

Sonic gave him a droll look, then shrugged. "Well...I could do it."

"You're forgetting that if you get more than ten feet from me, you're going to get a hell of headache."

"Then when you follow, you'd have to stay closer then ten feet, wouldn't you?" Sonic shrugged again. "We haven't got many ways of getting off the island, Shadow. Not like we can hitchhike out here."

"What are you planning?" Shadow question, seeming uninterested and yet intrigued, eyes still fixed on the shoreline.

"Well, if one of us is captured, the robot will either make for the base, or a boat will come back here." Sonic followed Shadow's stare. "Then we have a way to get to where they're holding the others, see?"

"I'm not going to risk to getting caught only to get off this island." He said curtly, like he didn't want to accept any solution that wasn't his own.

"You won't, but I will." Sonic watched him, on eyebrow raised. "It's not like they can hurt me or anything."

"No."

It was short and dry, and it meant what it meant. Simply not.

"You sound like Knuckles..." Sonic huffed, sulking. He'd thought it was a rather good idea himself. "What do YOU propose then?"

"To wait until I'm better and until you learn a few tricks of mine."

"We don't know what they're DOING to them, Shadow!" Sonic insisted. "And what tricks can I learn anyway? It's not like I can Chaos Control or anything; I've gotten by on speed before!"

"You can."

".....can what?" The hero inquired, eyes training along Shadow's face, searching for eye contact.

"I said, 'you can.'" He said as he looked at the second of the bigger islands.

"I know what you said." Sonic pulled on the other's shoulder to try and get the dark hedgehog to face him. "I'm asking what you meant. Can what?"

Shadow started swimming to the island he was looking at with a quiet pace, "It can be done," He said, never looking at the blue hedgehog on his shoulders, "You can Chaos Control, but you'll need to have little time to learn it. Once they catch the energy outbursts, they'll get back here in little time."

Sonic remained quiet, staring at the hedgehog in his grasp. "But.......how?"

"When we were linked, you granted me sanity, I granted you this ability, and more."

"...wow..." Theo hero breathed, surprise not fully describing his feelings. The idea of possessing Shadow ability to teleport anywhere was amazing, almost overwhelming. "Cool...what else comes with this deal?"

The black hedgehog stopped dead in his track and lowered his head, almost hiding his face underwater; he knew it, but he was afraid to tell him what else came with the link...

"What?" Sonic prodded the other hedgehog. "It can't be that bad, can it?" Shadow was started to worry the hero with his refusal to meet his eyes, and Sonic was also getting the distinct impression that he wasn't being told something. "It's not like I'm gonna die or anything, right?"

The dark creature opened his mouth, but nothing came out of it, then he sighed and resumed swimming like the question was never asked.

"Shadow..?" Sonic immediately gripped the other hedgehog tightly, frowning. "Shadow, you just told me something's happened to me, I deserve to know what it is!"

"Wait... just wait till we get to solid ground. Please." He said as he swam onwards as best as he could.

The blue hedgehog's hold loosened, only just, and he stared off to the side, sulking. Shadow was stalling, the speedster was sure of it, but he would humor his partner for now; the dark furry held an upper hand in the water. When they got to the isle, he'd make sure he got answers.

Shadow's efforts to make the swimming as slow as possible didn't help him as much as he wanted, and soon he felt his feet touch the ground below.

Sonic released the other's shoulders as soon as he felt sand beneath his feet, and trudged forward to the shoreline. As soon as he was a little way from the water, he looked back, and waited for his comrade to reach him.

"So?"

The ebony one briefly looked up at him, then he started to walk towards him; it had to be said. After all, it was Sonic's right to know.

"When... you bonded with me... you became like me... living solely on Chaos Energy. You can eat and sleep, and I advise that you do, or you'll be rather uncomfortable. But, you don't need to, not every day. And there are other complications." He said as he stopped a few feet from the blue hedgehog, "This made you...ageless."

For a minute, the tan muzzle worked, trying to voice the sheer disbelief he felt at that information. When he finally found his voice, he realized he wasn't sure what to say.

"Ageless...?"

Shadow's eyes meet the cobalt's briefly, then returned their gaze to the sand, trying to confirm the silent question without speaking. A hand on his shoulder told him clearly that Sonic would allow no such thing.

"You're immortal, in the most basic sense. And you'll remain as you are now until you are placed in a situation that will kill you. Until then, you are eternal. As I am." He was only finished saying it, but he realized soon enough that he was shaking now; only just, but it was enough.

"So you mean...I'm stuck like this..." The hedgehog gestured downward at himself, shocked. "...forever?"

Shadow merely nodded faintly, only partially aware of Sonic's actual words, but instinctively knowing what inquiry had been voiced, not knowing what to do; both his personalities were at a loss. They would just have to trust that Sonic would take it well, but the trust seemed to have a hole in it, sanded over. He trusted Sonic with everything he had, but that didn't stop him from being afraid.


	16. Chapter 16 — Move It or Lose It! Part 2

Chapter Sixteen – Move It or Lose It!

Part Two

"So you mean...I'm stuck like this..." The hedgehog gestured downward at himself, shocked. "...forever?"

Shadow merely nodded, only partially aware of Sonic's actual words, but instinctively knowing what inquiry had been voiced, and not knowing what to do; both his personalities were at a loss. They would just have to trust that the young hedgehog would take it well, but the confidence seemed to have a hole in it, sanded over. He trusted Sonic with everything he had, but somehow that didn't quell the fear.

Sonic rubbed at his forearm, at a loss himself. The idea of immortality was unnerving, to say in the least; not that Sonic expected to die soon, or even wanted to do so. Cheating death was something a hero did every day. Still...he'd always known the end was technically inevitable. He would grow older, slip up somehow, and get himself done in. Being told he was practically untouchable by time, it was a bit much to swallow.

Then, a slow smile crept across his muzzle, and he gave a short, nearly breathless laugh, relief mixed with something else. "Well, there goes my chance at voting the President out of office...I was so close too..."

The black hedgehog almost fell backwards, and when he regained his confidence in his ability to stand, was reduced to staring in disbelief at his partner.

"And drinking, not that I would really...and driving without a licensed adult, though I can get away with that anyway..." The cobalt was counting the 'losses' off on one hand. "And not being referred to as a minor, which is kind of annoying..." Shadow's mouth quirked upwards to show the liberation he felt, as he shook his head slowly, still not quite accepting the reaction to the news.

"Sonic..."

"Though I'll never actually have to take three caps of the cough medicine, that's a nice plus..." The triangular ears perked at his name and the hero halted his countdown. "Yeah?"

Shadow's small smile faded away; obviously he wasn't coming across clearly. Sonic wasn't seeing what he wanted him to. "Do you understand that you will see your friends all die of old age or some other cause while you keep on living on, remaining young?" Sonic frowned and the ebony male waited patiently.

"Well...The Master Emerald keeps Knuckles alive, he's got a while. Tails is really the only one I have to worry about right now..." His gaze dropped off to the side. "I don't really know what I'll do without both of them. Tails especially...he's been with me all his life, pretty much. And really all mine, too." His hand was back to squeezing his own forearm, absently, and he shivered.

"We apologize. We should not have gotten you caught up in all of this." He turned around and looked at the sea, "It would have been best had we died in that fire..." The dark hedgehog's voice sounded so pained, but honest as well.

"You say that again, and I'm shoving you back into the water." Sonic drew the dark hedgehog into a hug from behind, pressing his cheek to Shadow's neck. "What happens is what happens, you hear? I'd rather die this second than not have you with me. Death's a part of life, and with Tails' machine tinkering, and my saving the world, I'm surprised one of us hasn't been buried already."

The ebony hedgehog looked down at Sonic's arms encircling his frame, then he placed his right hand over them and leaned on the blue hedgehog behind him, his head resting on the other's shoulder.

"Thanks." He said with a small smile.

"You're welcome." Sonic answered. "Don't get too upset, Shadow. Think of it this way: in ten, twenty, fifty years from now, I'll still be right here with you, instead of you visiting me in the hospital, or better yet, a gravestone."

Shadow closed his eyes as tears of mixed emotions ran down his cheeks, "Thanks..."

"Can't you say anything else today?" The hero whispered, nuzzling his partner gently. "You act like you thought I'd hit you or something."

"We were...afraid..." He said truthfully, "..that you would leave us in denial..."

"Denial yes, leave no." Sonic laughed. "You forget. Leaving hurts."

"I know...yet we couldn't help fearing the thought of losing you..." This was the innocent Shadow speaking, as the other one was just resting in the back of the dark creature's mind to rest from all the stress he had been put through in the last hour.

Sonic's embrace tightened, and he sighed. "Don't be scared, Shadow. I'm not going to leave you. The only way you'll get rid of me is if I'm dragged off you, kicking and screaming." He laughed. "I sound so obsessed..."

Shadow smiled and turned around, leaning into the tight embrace, "You're forgetting that we're far more obsessed with you than you are with us." He said as he closed his eyes and rested his head into the crook of the blue hedgehog's neck.

"That's only 'cause there's two of you." Sonic pointed out, giving his companion a small kiss on the cheek. "If there was one, I could beat you easy, but you've got double on your side."

"Yes, maybe you're right."

"No maybes, I'm always right." Sonic grinned, and let his hold on Shadow drop. "Now, what do we do? To get the others back I mean."

"Right," He said as he stood up from Sonic's neck and took his hand in his own, dragging him into the forest. Both of his different selves had allowed themselves to be caught up in the moment of having Sonic near. They could not be distracted. The commander and his forces had to be stopped. Behind him, Sonic almost fell before getting his feet paced to Shadow's, no longer stumbling once he'd adjusted.

"You know that every living being lives on both normal energy and Chaos energy, right?"

"Normal energy yeah, but I never noticed any Chaos Energy..."

"That's because it's barely susceptible in normal beings." He said as he tugged him through the forest, "With Knuckles and Tails, it's a different thing. They have much more at their disposal. That is why Knuckles is so strong and Tails agile and intelligent. But with us..." He trailed off a little, stopping in a small irregular clearing amongst the trees.

Sonic paused beside him, his curiosity building as the seconds passed. "With us what?"

"Do you remember when I explained to you that I rely exclusively on Chaos Energy?" The obsidian creation asked, turning to face him.

"Yeah...mostly anyway..." Sonic scratched his head. "You don't get sick, and you heal really fast...and you can suffer from Drainages..."

"Exactly, but what I didn't tell you is that you can tap into this force to do all the things which I can do. Explaining the mechanics of how it works it's too complicated and right now, there's not time, but I'll teach it to you. Then, we can plot something to help both Tails and Knuckles." Sonic frowned, still in thought. Immortality seemed to come with a lot more fine print than he'd expected.

"Are you with me?" Shadow asked holding out his right hand. A slow grin plastered itself upon the fawn muzzle, and the new immortal grasped the offered appendage.

"When have I ever not been, Shadow?"

The black hedgehog nodded, "Good," He said as he made him sit down on the ground with him, "Now listen closely to what I'm going to say, because you'll have to rely only on this to learn how to Chaos Control in such short time. Alright?" With a small nod in answer, Sonic settled down next to the other hedgehog, biting his lower lip, but looking serious, focused. A small mantra was running around through his mind, chanting that he could do this.

"Relax, Sonic. You have to be relaxed to do this. The tenser you are, the more dangerous this technique is to your life and those who are with you. Free your mind and try to feel about you." He explained as he felt that his partner's mind was too busy.

The hero nodded again, giving a shaky sigh of submission, and forced his mind blank. "What exactly am I feeling for right now? The Chaos Energy?"

"Of course. It's like a tingle in the back of your mind, if you 'listen' to it, Chaos Energy will makes you feel like all your senses are immediately enhanced and tickled at the same time... it's hard to explain. You have to feel it for yourself." Sonic closed his eyes, hesitantly, and searched through his mind for the sort of 'tingle' Shadow was describing. As he did, something in the back of his mind tugged, like it was trying to grab his attention. A wince appeared on his face.

"Can you feel it?" Shadow asked whispering as he saw the wince on his partner's face

"Not sure..." Sonic slowly, cautiously acknowledged the nagging feeling. For a moment, it seemed as though the world had gone completely silent, and dark. Then it suddenly exploded into a million different colors and whirling senses, yet remaining only one.

He could feel the grass beneath him, but in a different way that before, like he knew every stalk, the way it bent in the smallest breezes. He could sense the sky, the trees, and a strange dull beat. It was a minute before he understood that it was Shadow's heartbeat.

"I bet that you found it, right?"

Sonic shivered, opening his eyes slowly and jerking back, startled by the change. It was like watching a 3-D movie, he decided, without the little glasses. Soft outlines gently faded out of each object he laid eyes on. Mostly greens and yellows for the plants, but a soft shock of darkness drew his attention. Shadow was lined with a black hue, though it was receding slowly, revealing a soft, marshmallow-white.

"Yeah...I think I might've..." He answered, breathlessly.

"Tell me how you see things." Shadow whispered, with an approving nod.

"All...weird...you've got colors all around you..." Sonic rubbed at his eyes. "So does everything else...it's weird. All green and yellow...and I think it's blinding me..."

"You'll get used to it, although I suggest you to not do it so often. To get out of that, you just have to release the grasp you have on the tingling on the back of your mind."

"This is so weird..." Sonic blinked, slowly, as the feeling and colors began to recede, though still remaining vibrant. "It's really...is that how you see the world?"

Shadow crossed his arms and tilted his head, "Actually, I see like you do, but I can turn this vision on and off..." He said a little thoughtfully, "I can change vision with just a blink of my eyes and a thought. Once you get accustomed, it is simple to do so."

"Says you..." Sonic rubbed at his forehead, trying to quell the beginnings of a headache.

The dark creature forward up, still kneeling, and placed his hands on the blue hedgehog's head, massaging it soothingly, "Now that you know how to tap into the Chaos Energy, I will tell you how to perform Chaos Control. Are you ready or do you want to rest a little?"

"Mmmph..." Sonic tilted his head forward, into the gentle hands. "Tell me how, and if I feel up to the challenge when you're done, we can try it out. The sooner we get this done, the sooner we get the others..."

Shadow nodded, but never stopped the massage, "You just have to collect Chaos Energy—your mind is the easiest place to do that—and direct it to take you where you want. The stronger the vision of where you want to go is, the more often the Chaos Control is successful." He explained stopping his hand's movements and kissing Sonic's forehead. "Since this is not the most brilliant way to explain it, I want to know if you understood it or not."

"It sounds almost sci-fi..." Sonic laughed. "Seems pretty easy when you put it that way..." He gingerly placed his hands over Shadow's, smirking. "I say we give it go."

The black one nodded, "Ok, but before we go with that... let me explain to you... our plan of action." He said gulping down his fear, rage and hate.

"You've got an idea?" Sonic's ears perked and his eyes locked on Shadow. "What is it?"

"You said before that you wanted to get caught to get off this island, right? We're gonna stick to that... but with a small change..." He said as he turned around to face away from Sonic, "I'll be the one caught. This way, you have major possibilities to save them."

Sonic stared, then moved his hands to Shadow's face, pulling him back. "I thought...you didn't want to risk getting caught...? I don't want you hurt, Shadow. You're the one they want most of all; they wouldn't know what to do with me." Shadow bit back every emotions he had; sadness, fear, rage, hate, sorrow... everything that could be called emotion was locked away by both Shadows.

"That is why you will have more mobility than me."

"I'm not letting them chain you up like that again." Sonic answered forcefully. "You were in bad enough shape before. I don't want to think of what they'll do to you a second time."

"They'll probably freeze me. That is all. We will stretch our minds to the fullest to give you as much range with the link as we can."

"Still..." Sonic's frowned deepened. "I'd feel better if it was me..."

"They do not want you. They want me. Trust us, this is the better solution."

"I know who they want..." Sonic was no longer looking his partner in the eye. "That's what worries me. For all I know, they'll end up killing you or something...gah, I don't know. Damn you, why are you so stubborn?!"

Shadow took the blue hedgehog's chin in his right hand and made him look in his eyes, which were full of love and adoration only for him, "Because, Sonic. I was created this way." He said as he caressed his soft lips with his thumb, "I will wait for you to come and get me out of that ice prison."

The dark hedgehog slipped his left hand onto his partner's chest, ruffling the soft, beige fur carefully, the gently affectionate expression never fading, and the opposite appendage slid around to caress the back of the hero's throat.

"I will wait for you, Sonic. Forever."

"Shadow, what're you—?"

A single charge of Chaos Energy was all it took for the sapphire form to slump forward into his arms, unconscious. The smile went faintly bitter, ruby eyes hardening to become as stony as the gems they were so similar to in color, but he held Sonic close, still petting him cautiously. Then, whispering the command under his breathe, he teleported them both to the other island, where the GUN robot sentries he'd seen before, thanks to the limp male in his arms, were left behind. After carefully placing the aforementioned azure sleeper behind some of the foliage so that he would remain unnoticed, he turned to face the dense jungle, crouching into a defensive pose.

"Come to me. I know that you can read my energy output." He murmured as he charged his right hand for a Chaos Sword.

And indeed, the sentries came, three of them, two which were in a flying mode, bulky and loaded with small missiles, and one that rolled on thick tank treads. Ignoring the collapsed form of the blue hero beside the ultimate lifeform, the robots all focused on Shadow.

"Primary objective located. Mission: Capture."

"Ahhh..." The black hedgehog chuckled maniacally, stopping only to look them over once again. "Only three of you? Haven't you learned anything?" He raised his right hand and squeezed the ball of energy forming there. In an instant, a sword of pure sizzling energy came to life, "Come and get me then. If you can." He said looking at them with superiority in his features.

Both hover-bots inched forward, almost as though they were awaiting Shadow to make the first move. A whirring sound was heard, and both cocked their missile-launchers, trained on Shadow.

"Project: Shadow. Surrender and come with us."

Shadow tilted his head to the side, "What if I decline?" He asked, sounding almost ingenuous.

"Subject refusal. Orders: Obtain by force." A click, and the robot to his left fired one projectile, aiming for Shadow's legs.

The black hedgehog was quick to move his weapon and cut the missile in the middle, and was more quick on grabbing the head of the explosive projectile and launch it back towards the robot that fired it, with an added charge of Chaos Energy. The second sentry turned fully about face, as the ground one moved away, as though it was unable, perhaps, to attack. Its flying fellow however, was not so helpless. It launched a large array of weaponry toward Shadow, barely leaving time for Shadow to dodge between volleys. The dark creature smirked, impressed with the display.

"So GUN has improved their toys?" He asked, then the gesture widened to become the malicious grin that the more violent personality always wore when readying for an abject massacre. "It's all futile!" He said as he charged the flying mech with his Chaos Sword.

For a moment, the sentry allowed the charge, and Shadow was almost within striking range when a brutal violent discharge of energy caught him square in the chest, sending him flying backwards. The black hedgehog was flung against a tree, then on the ground; the Chaos Energy weapon dissipating as the blow he took messed up his grasp on the mystical energy.

"What the...?" He growled as he pushed himself to his feet, slightly helping himself with the tree he smashed into. A spinning noise echoed before him, and a click to follow, causing the onyx creature to raise his head. The ground mech relocked its laser on Shadow's form, recharging for another shot at the dark creature, trained on his chest again, as the flying machine remolded itself into a walker, much like the Tornado, two strong claws appearing from the steel armor.

"Anti-Chaos Stun Cannon: Test Affirmative."

Shadow chuckled darkly, "Interesting. Really, really interesting..." He muttered as he looked at his right hand, "You bastards found out an effective way to fight against me..." His crimson eyes narrowed as he looked at the two robots, his Chaos Sword suddenly reappearing in his right hand, "But it's not enough."

He charged the sentries again, focused now upon the ground type.

So as he went for the tank-mech, the walker's claws snatched hold of the smaller creature's wrists, twisting so that it could slam the struggling hedgehog into the ground, just as the tank was back up to fire the long range laser. A same 'thunk' sounded, and the cannon swiveled around, aimed down to the blue furry it's treads had get bumped into.

The black hedgehog's eyes narrowed to slits and he pushed back, kicking the robot that had gripped him into the other one, distracting them back to him, his mad grin back into full force. The ground mech swerved around, firing its beam straight through its own teammate and into Shadow, the damaged walker skidding and coming to rest near Sonic's collapsed form, providing adequate shielding from the battle, along with the vegetation.

Shadow was flung backwards again, but less than before as the laser was less powerful because it was partially shielded by the other robot; he shakily stood up, "Bastards..." He snarled out as he clutched his chest, having visible difficulty breathing.

"Subject down. Repeat: Surrender and come willingly." The ground mech rolled forward, clinking busily as a glowing net of energy appeared before it, seeming to be woven out from the cannon.

"Make me." The dark one hissed in spite of his pain. He knew his part of the plan, he had said he would allow himself to be captured so that Sonic could follow. So that the others could be saved

He hadn't said he would make it easy for them.

"Proposition deemed acceptable." The net came down over Shadow's prone from, the anti-chaos energy sparking as it came into contact with Shadow's form.

The black hedgehog strangled a scream of pain as huge amounts of his energy were stolen from his body by the net; when the surge of Anti-Chaos Energy stopped, Shadow was laying on his back, still imprisoned in the trap, but still conscious.

He looked to the sky, and saw some lights landing on the beach's direction...

The lights grew startlingly bright and halted in front of the isle, a long ramp creaking down to the shoreline, not far from the trees where Shadow lay, paralyzed almost. Dark shapes surged forward, and became to sharpen into recognizable people. A small group of soldiers, armed to the teeth, and the commander among them. And beside him...

A pink hedgehogette.

"Well, well, well... who do we have here... the Bastard and the Bitch in person... I feel honored to receive a visit from such persons..." Shadow muttered with extremely heavy sarcasm, "In what way I may serve you?" He snarled quietly. The human male shot him a disgusted look, obviously searching for something else. Dark, hooded eyes swept over the hedgehog in seconds, and the frown deepened. He turned to the other robot, addressing it loudly, impatiently.

"Where is the other?! You've only caught one!" At the sound of his words and small sob came for the fuchsia girl near him, her shoulders shaking violently. It then became apparent that a pair of thick, steel manacles were locked around her

"What is wrong? Your little friend here broke your glass heart?" He couldn't move, but at least he could insult her, "Or have you finally got over what you decided was 'true love' for him?" The young girl heaved a sob in answer, shaking under the weight of her tears, but did not look toward the midnight hedgehog, nor answer his taunts.

The dark hedgehog chuckled weakly, "This is what you deserve; you were too blinded by your infatuation to understand that GUN won't stop until they achieve what they want. Even break a pact or promise..." Amy turned tear-filled eyes on him; glaring as well as she could through the liquid, and failing miserably. Her gaze went back to the commander, welling up again, looking desperate.

The fierce human paid her no mind, eyes focused on one of the soldiers, who was dragging the limp form of the blue hero out into the open.

"Sir, he appears to be unharmed. Merely unconscious."

His ruby eyes fell on the commander, "As for you... I'll pay you back for what you did to me and my friends. You have my word. The word of the Ultimate Life Form."

Amy didn't look at him again, she was being forcefully escorted onboard the ship, though she was still crying loudly enough to be heard. The commander was silent, ignoring Shadow's threats as he examined the prone Sonic.

"Take him aboard as well. According to the girl, they've done something to him now; he will have to be examined." The commander stood away, and a female's voice came from the helmeted soldier.

"Sir, he is a national hero. Shouldn't some exemptions be ma-"

"Get him on that ship, or I'll have you shot with the Project."

The ebony one struggled weakly sneering at the official, "I know you can hear me, and I know that deep down, you're scared of the moment when I come back for you!" He widened his grin, "Fear it, human, for it will be sooner than you may think."

"Sooner than you may think." He repeated in a way that made everyone shiver deeply

The commander glowered down at the captured being, and grabbed one of the nearest personnel. "Make sure his bindings are extra tight. We don't want him escaping." He locked eyes with the dark creature. "He is to be frozen the moment we return to base." With that, he spun on his heel, treading toward the open ship.

"No matter what, human! I'll be back, if only for you!" Shadow screamed at him before exploding into a weak maniacal laugh. The soldier near him, holding Sonic, turned toward him, visor shining, then hurried after the commanding officer, clutching the unconscious hedgehog tightly. The rest of the group gathered around Shadow, trapping him into the net so that he was easily transported.

The black hedgehog ended up being curled in a fetal position with his arms behind his back; both position and the Anti-Chaos Energy was making him go crazy and he had to grit his teeth in order to not whimper from the pain he was feeling as he was almost dragged across the ground, towards the plane of GUN parked on the beach.

The only real comfort he was 'offered' was that he and Sonic were both placed in the same holding cell, the hero curled in a ball near the dark room's center. The men tossed Shadow in without removing the net, for even if he took it off of him, the Anti-Chaos Energy would still affect him, as close as it was.

The dark hedgehog managed to crawl closer to his partner, ignoring the cuts the net were giving him as he moved, "Sonic...?" He asked in a whisper, "Sonic?" He repeated.

A sound slipped from Sonic, and the speedster cringed slightly, an arm moving stiffly to cradle his head. "Ow...that...really hurts..."

"Sorry..." Shadow whispered sadly.

"S'alright..." Sonic blinked his eyes open, and blearily gazed at the black hedgehog through the room's dimness, the only light that given off by the net. "Shadow? What happened...to you..?"

"Don't touch me, or you'll end up drained as well. You still don't retain as much energy as I do, immortal or not." He murmured as he tried to find a comfortable way to lie, the net making his feat near impossible. "And trust me. You'll need that energy if we have to get all out of GUN's base."

"Mmph...I thought you...were the only one getting caught..." He was almost fully awake now, fighting the instinct to try and reach for Shadow, heeding the warning he'd been given.

"It seems that the pink bitch told GUN about the rite. They..." He paused to take a few breaths and move his arms to get back a little of the feeling supposed to be there, "They'll freeze us as soon as we get back to the base, and you'll end up as a lab rat. But..." Another pause, this time accompanied by a visible wince of pain, "But we still can...hnff...get something out of this mess."

"...a lab rat? Damn...that sucks..." Sonic shuddered, eyes closing halfway. "...and with the ageless thing, I'll be around a long time for them to poke...ugh..." He sighed and closed his eyes. "I'm tired..."

"Before passing out, do what you learned from me today and look at me that way."

"You mean...the color sight...thing..?" It was obvious from the strain in his voice that Sonic was struggling to remain awake at the time. He made an effort to sit upright, moving heavy arms to rub sleep away.

"Yes. It is extremely vital if we want to get out of this situation."

"Alright..." He blinked a few times and focused, searching out the nagging power. When he looked at Shadow again, the swirling colors were back, but with a sort of barrier between the dark hedgehog and Sonic's eyes. "Uh...?"

"Don't mind that barrier, it's the net. I don't have much time, so listen carefully. As soon as they think that they have you in their power, break out, free our friends and get the hell out of here. Only when you're settled, come back for me. They do not know that you know how to Chaos Control, so play this card wisely. It's our only chance."

The swirling mass of black and white Chaos Energy that was Shadow dimmed suddenly as he lost consciousness, the net having done its work perfectly. Sonic's ears went forward, and he felt the world around him slowly dissolving into fragments. Letting the Chaos-based vision fade, he blinked at the other hedgehog's prone form, and edged as close to the other as he could without touching the net. Then he finally gave in to his own exhaustion, eyes sliding closed as he frowned.


	17. Chapter 17 — Evil Crazy Commander

Chapter Seventeen – Yes dear, Evil Crazy Commanders Do Exist

"Where... are we?" The black hedgehog woke up slowly, his mind full of confusion. Everything seemed to have been mixed together in a cloudy batter of thought and sight, confusing the creation's already complex mind. He tried to move, but he found that he was strapped down to a thick metal cot within an open capsule made of a glass-like material. Shadow tried to force the bindings to tear, or at least give him some sort of leverage, but he became more tired and frustrated.

"Ah, you are awake. And just in time it seems...to take your nap." The face of the human commander appeared above Shadow, causing the trapped creature's eyes to snap upward. "I hope you comfortable, Project: Shadow. You're going to be in there a very long time..."

"Don't worry, human. I'll get out of here soon, because I have something that you do not." The streaked male spat, glaring up at the menacingly self-assured officer with all the hate he could muster in a single look.

"If you are thinking of that little hero friend of yours, you'll be sorry to hear the news I have for you." The commander beamed his dark eyes twinkling menacingly. "A little...bedtime story, if you will."

Shadow narrowed his eyes, the dark look effectively concealing the panic coursing through him at the human's confidential tone. "What did you do to him!?"

"I did nothing. I didn't even have to lift a finger." The human mused, enjoying the hedgehog's anger. "The Anti-Chaos Net drains energy, I'm sure you know, but when a normal creature comes into full contact with it, without the protective suits my men wear...well, it drains the only other energy available. Life energy..." He grinned, eyes flashing. "While he did not perish, he certainly isn't going to be going anywhere. We doubt he'll last the night."

In that precise moment, Shadow's face morphed into a mask of shock, not because he was being delivered the news of Sonic's uncertain fate, but because he knew fully well that Sonic didn't fully rely on normal energy to survive any longer. It took him all his strength to keep the shocked mask and not to crack under the pressure. Certainly Sonic was alright; he would know if it was otherwise.

He had to be alright.

He turned his head away, twin streams of tears rushing down his cheeks as his efforts were doubled over, his mask trying to break, his will the only thing keeping him from destroying the pretense of mourning.

"Don't worry," The commander was obviously delighted with the act, and he patted the side of the glass, not assuming enough to actually reach for the hedgehog. "I do not keep spare change lying around. He would've been executed by the time you are reactivated anyway. If you ever wake up at all, that is-" Without warning, the officer's moment of 'triumph' was interrupted by a loud scream. He stood upright.

"Those blasted idiots...!" He moved away from the capsule. "Seal him in. I'll attend to this myself!"

The dark hedgehog closed his eyes and relaxed; a sign which could easily be confused as resignation. His last thoughts, as the capsule closed and a strangely thick vapor which emptied into the small space, echoed in his own mind. ''Sonic, wherever you are...now it's up to you. Good luck, our love.'

The smoke enveloped everything and, after a few minutes, it cleared, leaving a cryogenically frozen hedgehog in its wake.

Sonic, though he couldn't hear his companion's wish, felt it all the same. With a determined grimace, he bit down harder on the guard's hand, the free one currently held to his throat, pinning him against the man's chest while his feet kicked a good two feet above the floor. He'd woken up a good hour before Shadow, and seen him take the lie from the commander's mouth.

He was going to REALLY enjoy kicking that man out on his rear.

The commander looked at the blue hedgehog, then to the few men that were laying half unconscious on the ground, "You idiots! You can't even subdue a simple hedgehog!" Fuming like a chimney, the human withdrew a small sedative gun from one of his downed minions and growled under his breath. "Do I always have to do everything for you?!"

Feeling extremely insulted by the 'simple hedgehog' comment, Sonic bared his teeth through the captive guard's flesh, before releasing the appendage to snap at the officer.

"Get away from me, or I'll knock you back to that slimy pit you crawled out of."

The commander nearly rolled his eyes, "Please... we took care of Project: Shadow; it won't be difficult to you send you to join him." He said as he approached the floored hero, "You're a common creature, even if you are above the normal. Project: Shadow is a perfectly planned weapon."

Sonic was on his feet within seconds, taking a stance that would allow him to bolt easily, and fend the man off if he came too close. He was scowling up at the taller human, looking as though he was trying to kill his opponent with just his eyes.

The commander looked at him with a raised eyebrow, "What is that? Trying to copy the project in one of his traits?" He chuckled, gripping the weapon in his hand threateningly. "Sorry, hedgehog. You're doing a bad imitation."

Sonic rolled his eyes now. "I'm guessing you don't watch the news, so you don't know too much about what you're dealing with right now. I'll give you a fair warning: Do not mess with me."

A human grabbed him from behind, raising him from the ground.

"I know who you are, but... do I care?" He asked to both himself and Sonic as he advanced, raising the sedative gun, "Now, be a good, little citizen and go to sleep."

Sonic though, was equal to the move, delivering a backward jab into his captor's stomach, and darting around the commander before either could recover from the shock. In his mind, he was weighing the odds of him versus the entire compound of armed humans. Sure, he had a nice trump card, but he couldn't use it yet, he had to plan ahead.

This was going to be seriously hard.

"GRAB THAT HEDGEHOG!" The commander ordered screaming to his men, that by now where all recovering, "I want him! ALIVE!"

The door of the room opened and a dozen of humans entered; some armed with electrical stun guns the others with sedatives. It was as remarkably crowded, as though the entire base had reacted to the order.

Sonic winced, but didn't slow down, darting to and fro in a zigzag pattern, so that they couldn't get a lock on him. Then a thought struck his mind. If he got them too rowdy, too suspicious, the breakout wouldn't work. He had to make them think he couldn't hold his own, or he'd be in too deep to bust the others out.

Sighing mentally, disgusted with his next plan of action, he ran himself into a corner. This was beyond humiliating.

The commander chuckled evilly, "Trapped like a rodent, I see. No, wait... hedgehogs are rodents! Bah... Men! Sedate him and bring him to the lab for the first test. I want to know as much as we can about him."

The hero bared his teeth and hissed, daring them to come in, resisting the urge to bounce off their heads and make a break for it. He needed to buy time, not only for them to trust in their ability to over-power him, but for Shadow too, he realized. The hedgehog had been exhausted when they last spoke, and Sonic couldn't take them on if the black furry needed to use him as a crutch.

The squad hesitated when they heard the hiss, something in that reminded them of the darker hedgehog that they had fought back in the Mystic Ruins.

"Idiots! He's nothing compared to the project and you FEAR him?!"

"Then why don't YOU come up here and beat me?" What better to give the men courage than seeing their leader take him down right? Of course, that was provided Sonic could keep his self control long enough to lose to the idiot. There was no real guarantee there.

The human's eyes narrowed, then he raised his sedative gun and fired all the darts in rapid succession, aiming at the hedgehog and around him, so, if he dodged the first few, he would run himself into the path of the successive ones and so be beaten.

Sonic noted this in a span of less than a second, and—thoroughly unhappy with the entire ordeal-made an 'attempt' to move out of the way before getting knocked clear off his feet in the process, a dart buried in near the elbow one arm and a second in the opposite shoulder. Stumbling, he struggled to stand; now no longer acting, as the toxins began to take immediate effect.

"Take him to the lab and tell the personnel there that I want every single ounce of information they can extract from him!" He commanded to his men as he turned around and left the room.

Sonic glowered after him, too far gone to do much more than take dimmed swipes at the soldier grasping him and yanking him to his feet. With a soft growl, he subjected to be half dragged, half escorted to a larger room, filled with flashing lights and tinkering noises, dully reminding him of Tails' workshop. He only snapped halfway to when a familiar voice called to him.

"Sonic?!"

A small fox with two tails ran towards the blue hedgehog, "Sonic!" He exclaimed as he was stopped by a guards that raised his rifle towards him.

"Get back to work, fox." He said emotionlessly, "You're not out of the cage to pal around. The commander wants all the information you can get off from this hedgehog." He finished as he and his comrade placed Sonic on a table and strapped him down. Then they walked out of the room and stood at either side of the entrance, disappearing as the thick door slid closed.

Tails faltered, looking down at his best friend, practically his older brother, lying on the examination table. They didn't really expect him to-well, obviously they did. Perhaps the commander simply had sadistic qualities, but there was no way in hell Tails was going to let them force him into taking his friend apart.

"Tails? That you lil' bro?" Sonic tried to clear his eyes, squinted at the blurred form of the younger male. "What are you doing in here?"

The small fox sighed deeply and took a syringe with an antidote for the sedative, then he injected it into his friend's arm, "I'm... forced onto this work... they want me to study you like you were a lab rat or something..." Sonic stiffened, his ears laying flat against his skull.

The idea of them trying to force the kit into experimenting on him was the last straw. He didn't care about morale for a split moment. He simply wanted to dig his fingers into the commander's throat and squeeze until he heard bones snap.

"Well, I'm not going to do it." The young fox murmured, sliding the needle from the flesh of the hero who had practically raised him. There was no way they'd threaten him into hurting his best friend.

Sonic's eyesight cleared, but not by much. Still, it was sharpening with each second, and he sighed, lifting his head slightly to look at the straps, and test them, since the feeling was slowly returning to his arms.

"Where's Knux? They got him too, didn't they?"

Tails nodded, "Yes. I think he's being held in the prisons. What about Shadow?"

"They froze him again. We've got to buy him some time; they did something to him, he needs a few days to rest up." Sonic frowned. "We need to stall somehow..."

"I don't hear any screaming in there, fox!" One of the guards called, letting the sound of his rifle loading click resound through the air.

"Do you REALLY think that reading Chaos Energy emissions will hurt!?" Tails screamed back, "And if you don't shut up and let me work in peace, I'm going to tell your commander that you're disturbing my work, ruining and delaying it! What about that?!"

"Just hurry it up, fox, or you'll only have one tail to fly with."

Sonic frowned, eyes on the door. "We've got to find a way to stall them for a few days...at least so we can let them think we're beat. And we need to find out for sure where Knux is. I can't go on guesswork when we get out of here..."

Tails sat at a console, "First of all, how do we get out of here?" He asked as he started to hack into the system. Placing someone like Miles Prower in a completely functioning lab, ALONE, and with a computer connected to the local network...not the brightest idea.

"I'm still working on that part. I haven't tested out Chaos Control. I can't be sure how far I can go until I do..." Sonic said in undertone, shaking his head. "Any way we can get the goons away for the door? They're starting to bug me."

The fox sighed and shook his head, "Sorry, can't do anything about them. However, I found out where Knuckles is held. And the Tornado too." He said as he stopped looking into the system and getting off of the net before he was discovered.

"Good..." He sighed. "Shadow on the other side of the building, and he'll have to sit for a while. The question remains, how or we going to stall them..." A gleam caught his eye and he turned to look at a tray of operating tools. With a grimace, he added, "Without cutting me into spam..."

Tails sighed deeply and slumped on the chair, "I don't know. I can try to scramble the main computer a little, but I'm really at a loss... For now, you'll have to act sedated and I'll have to act as I'm really examining your energy potentials..."

"Autopsies aren't part of this procedure are they...?" He was wincing, still focused on the tools, particularly the scalpel, which was clean and shiny, as well as rather sharp looking.

"No. Just a lot of sensors all over you..." He explained tiredly motioning with his head to several cupping-glass like sensors. "Maybe I can bug the computer so that it will register only a small percentage of your true potential..." He mused to himself.

"How high is said potential? If it's high enough, we can reverse the info or something maybe, so it reads the opposite?" Sonic was straining to take in all the equipment, relieved he didn't have to worry about being chopped into bits.

"Hmm... I think that I'll set the line under fifty percent, but over the thirty or forty. If the value is too small, they'll start to suspect more than they already are." Tails moved to the machine, examining it closely as he spoke.

Sonic frowned, watching the guards at the door becoming agitated. For a minute, he gave into temptation, and closed his eyes, concentrating. When he opened them, he could see the faint auras lining the guards, surprised to find the they both held a strange grayish tinge about them, unlike Tails', who's was a startling electric yellow, far brighter than the plants in the forest's had been.

The young fox stopped and looked at him, "What are you doing?" He asked being his curious self.

"Shadow taught me this weird trick...he called it tapping into Chaos Energy. I can see these weird little colors around people, and yours is..." Sonic blinked, finding that he was seeing small spots. "...really bright."

Tails smiled, "Really? Am I that bright? What color am I?" He asked excited, almost jumping up and down like a normal child of his age.

"Yellow." Sonic closed his eyes and let the vision fade. Tails' color was really starting to hurt his eyes. "It's like looking straight at a lightbulb. I'm stopping for now."

"What color are you?"

The hedgehog paused for a moment in thought. He'd never really taken the time to check, and whenever he'd seen the rest of the world in the color-lined version, his hands and such always seemed to look the same as normal. So as an answer, he offered only a shrug.

"What's that?" The fox asked lifting an eyebrow and turning on the rather big machinery next to him.

"I've never really saw at my own color, so I can't tell you." Sonic told the kit, gazing back to the door to notice one of the guards holding a communicator. Raising an eyebrow, he continued. "We can always ask Shadow though. Now I'm actually interested in finding out..."

"Why are you staring at the wall?"

"There's a wall there?" Sonic blinked, and sure enough, the guards were replaced by a shield of white and metal. "Oh...didn't know that came as part of the deal..." He furrowed his brow. "I must've still been tapped in. Weird..."

"Can you tell me what they're doing? It would help me a lot!" He said, his two tails moved up and down almost frantically to give away the excitement his was holding back audibly.

He raised an eyebrow at the younger furry, but grinned. "They gave you coffee didn't they?" Not wanting for an answer, he resumed his strange between vision statuses and watched the guards, titling his head to the side to see better. "It looks like they're reporting in to somebody..."

"Then I better hurry. Sonic, you keep an eye on that corridor, and if someone's starts to come in, just pretend to be asleep." Tails turned around and started to tinkering with the machine, opening a small panel and started working his magic on it.

"Can do." Sonic answered, then grinned. "That guard on the right is the one talking, so I guess he's the bigger of the two. He looks like he's getting a real earful..."

"Hm?" Tails asked as he looked inside the hole to see which cable was going where.

"He hung up, but he doesn't look too happy...think he got himself in trouble." Sonic smiled, remembering the manhandling he'd suffered earlier. The guards were looking away from the doorway, down the hall. Sonic peered after him, seeing two figures struggling with a third. Then his face drained, both ears shooting forward.

"There! I'm done!" Tails exclaimed as he placed the cover back where it belonged and turned around to face Sonic, "Now- Sonic, what's up?" He asked, preoccupied as he saw the blue hedgehog's drained expression.

Sonic didn't answer. Instead he quickly flopped backwards onto the table, slowing his breathing and closing his eyes to fake a deep slumber. His mouth was even partly open, to add a look of truth to the disguise. No sooner had he done so, then the door opened, and the guards dragging a flurry of snarls and fists into the room.

"Why didn't you sedate him?!"

"I TOLD you! We DID! It's not working! He's insane!"

The young fox's eyes widened as he saw the scarlet echidna being forcefully dragged into the laboratory, struggling wildly as the men tried to lift him and strap him down to a similar table next to where Sonic was laying. Why were they bringing Knuckles here?

The men pulled back as soon as the Guardian was secured, one of them sporting a wrist turning dark black, a clear testament to the fact that the tranquilizers were in fact, taking their toll. Any normal day, that soldier would've lost his whole arm.

"You are to keep him restrained until his cell is restored and upgraded to proper order." One man said, as they shut the door, leaving the kit alone with the two older males.

Tails immediately rushed to the drugged Guardian's side, shaking one of his shoulders to gain his mulled attention. "Knuckles! Knuckles! It's me, Tails! Calm down!"

Knuckles growled angrily at the foxling, still straining at his bonds, breathing ragged and eyes glazed heavily. It looked as though he reverted to a more savage side of himself, in order to preserve his life. For a minute, he remained a thrashing monster, but soon he exhausted his leftover strength, and went limp against the cool table.

The young fox ceased his more violent attempts to still the spent fighter, and gently squeezed the echidna's shoulder. "Knuckles? You're safe here, calm down."

The Guardian gave a strangled grunt, and blinked hazily at the kit then moved one arm, instinctively reaching to hold his head. However, he was still tied down. Sonic, lying on the table next to him, frowned.

"How much did they pump into you, man?"

Knuckles looked at him, "Don't know..." He muttered, trying to force his bindings lose, but gaining no response.

"What'd you do that got them so worked up, anyway?" Sonic was staring back toward the door, his eyes shining they eerie way they always did when he switched between visions. "They were pretty freaked out...who'd you break?"

"I tore open the cell and a few of the guards, before they brought out the tranquillizers..."

Tails went to retrieve a syringe for the same injection he had given Sonic, "Knuckles, don't worry about this. It's an antidote for the sedative in your system. But you have to promise you won't break from the table or our cover will be blown." He said as he approached the echidna.

Knuckles looked at the two, "Cover...?"

"We have to lay low for a little while. At least a few days. We need to give Shadow time to get better, it'll strengthen our chances of getting everyone out at once." Sonic answered, since the kit was preoccupied with tapping bubbles out of the needle and so on. "In the meantime, we're stuck being sweet, lovable patients so the security goes lax."

"Shadow? What happened to Shadow?" The Guardian asked, as he felt a thin needle enter into the flesh of his right forearm. He was trying to ignore the feeling.

"They froze him again. And that sadist of a commander lied to him, and told him that I'm...more or less, he implied that I was dead." He rolled his eyes. "You roll over once in your sleep and get a shock, and everyone decides you're six feet under."

"Shadow got caught? How? When?"

"Sonic. Don't forget to keep an eye on the outside." Tails reminded him, before moving back to his infiltration activities upon the computers.

"How he can keep an eye on the outside if the door is shut?"

"Nice new trick I learned from Shadow, before we let them take us in." Sonic returned his gaze to the door. "We got more or less stranded after they took the Tornado, and Shadow couldn't Chaos Control us far enough to get to the boats. Getting captured was the best we could come up with to follow you guys."

"Shadow let himself be captured?" Knuckles mused as he relaxed on the table, trying to forget about the fact that he was bound and he could free himself.

"Only cause I volunteered first." Sonic grumbled, looking slightly peeved. "I was supposed to follow, but in the end, they got both of us. And they used some kind of net thing on Shadow, which is why he needs time."

The echidna looked at him, unconvinced, "I can't believe you. He never would have let himself be caught."

"From what I gather, he fought pretty hard before he let them bring him down. We weren't really counting on the net."

"Shadow got stopped by a net?"

"Is there an echo in here? Yes, a net. It did something to him. The commander called it..." His mind stooped for the correct term. "Anti-Chaos, or something. He said it sucks out energy, Chaos Energy if it can, life energy if there's no Chaos." Sonic shrugged, eyes flashing as he locked into the color-coded plain of vision. "That's how I supposedly 'died.'"

The echidna hmmed for a few seconds and looked as Tails started to place several sensors over the blue hedgehog's body, "So, what is the plan of action?"

"We sit tight for the most part. Not too quiet, but enough so they'll think we're no real trouble to catch up to." Sonic sighed, moving a little as he glared at the suctioned pads on his torso. "Man, these things are uncomfortable..."

"Yeah, but what we will do after Shadow rested?" Tails asked as he returned to the machine and activated it.

The hero's fur bristled for a moment, as the sensors gave him a small shock, but he settled back down after a moment. "More or less, we hit and run. We could bust Shadow out right away, and use the idea Knux had a while back. Getting outside help."

The machine had started to collect the rigged information on Sonic's Chaos Energy level, readily printing the data and storing it within the memory bank; after a second of ensuring the ruse has worked correctly, Tails turned. "What help?"

Knuckles answered before Sonic could open his mouth. "I suggested we employ the services of a government spy." He shot the hero a self-righteous look for a moment, not forgetting how opposed Sonic had at first been to the idea.

"Excellent. If the government gets wind of what GUN is doing behind its back, we'll have this organization dismantled." Tails said as he took the papers in his hands and examined them, "And we- what the...?"

The fox stopped what he was doing and went to the computer's table, reading some other papers, "Woah..."

"Woah what?" Both the older furries questioned at the same time, though Sonic's voice sounded more worried out of the two.

"It's about Shadow's energy's pattern. I found out something really interesting..." He said as he examined all the papers in front of him.

"What?!" Sonic was fighting to keep his voice quiet, immediately concerned. "What's wrong?! What'd they do?!" Knuckles of course, shushed him, violet eyes warning him of a sound thrashing if the noise continued.

Tails looked more at the paper, "At the moment I'm not sure, so I have to study this a little more. It might be a good excuse to stall them."

Sonic strained to catch a glimpse of the paper, pulling at his straps. "What is it? Lemme see!" He checked the door again quickly, in case he missed something, then returned to his nosy antics.

"Be quiet Sonic, I'm thinking." The fox shushed his blue friend, "This is surely something really interesting."

The Guardian sighed and shook his head, then laid back down on the table, "Here we go again." He mumbled out, then he looked back at Sonic, "By the way, Sonic. Did Shadow tell you how long it would take for him to regain his energy?"

Sonic frowned. "Um...no, I don't think he did. But it would only take a few days, right? I mean, isn't getting frozen like sleeping?" Sonic furrowed his brow and laid his head back. "Ugh, too much thinking for one day."

"I'm not sure of it, Sonic," Tails started explaining, "But cryogenic sleep is when you are totally frozen. This means that every cell of your body has ceased to work. Brain included. If you have a wound, that wound will not heal, though I don't know how it works with Chaos Energy..."

"So you're telling me that he have to go through another waiting period?" Sonic whined, closing his eyes and gritting his teeth. "That's like, five days or something!"

The fox shrugged, "I don't know, but I guess that we'll have to stick to Shadow's plan of waiting for the security to lower." He said as he resumed looking at the papers, "At least now I have an excuse to stall. I want to know more regardless."

Now Knuckles turned his head a little to gaze toward the fox. "What exactly is it that you find so interesting?" He asked, ignoring the blue hedgehog beside him struggling to make faces.

Tails sighed, "I'm still unsure of it, but it's about the Chaos Energy patterns of Sonic and Shadow. Sonic's true potential is less than Shadow's, but, calculating a few things, the two have the same peaks, wavelengths, whatever you want to call it..."

"Chaos Energy has wavelengths?" Sonic perked, but quieted and jerked his head toward the door, blinking for a moment, then smirking. "Hey, they're trading out the guards. Apparently one of 'em is having trouble with that bad wrist you gave him, Knux."

The echidna turned the gesture, "Serves them right."

"Yes, Chaos Energy has wavelength, right like light and radio waves. And yours is perfectly matching Shadow's. Now, I'm not sure if it's only you and him or everyone; that is why I need to work on this... I might even need you, Knuckles..."

The echidna raised an eye ridge at Tails, effectively communicating his surprise at the observation. "I'm not sure if the circumstances would be similar enough to allow this to read correctly, but I'll help if I can..." He shot Sonic a soft glare. "If it'll shut the little monster up."

"Oh, get over yourself." His sapphire neighbor snorted back.

Tails smiled brightly, "Thanks Knuckles! Sonic, don't forget to keep an eye on the outside. We don't want to get caught, do we?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm on it." Sonic rolled his eyes, but paused midway through. "Hey, Knuckles, by the way, you seriously look like you're on fire."

The echidna looked at him with a raised eyebrow, then he rolled his eyes and resumed to look at Tails.


	18. Chapter 18 — Careful What You Wish For

Chapter Eighteen – Be Careful What You Wish For

The next few days in the compound were made up mostly of faked tests, and rough-housing from the soldiers. Knuckles was prideful, but possessed an iron self-control and remained quiet, despite his misgivings. Sonic on the other hand became the main attention grabber, mostly because he wanted to make sure that GUN largely underestimated him. Of course, it seemed to be getting harder and harder for him not to simply wreak hell on the humans, since after the first few escape attempts, they largely stopped trying to catch him.

Tails was still in the lab, trying to collect all the data he had acquired in the past days and cripple the main server's own database as significantly as possible; strangely enough, the security system placed to defend the main frame was really easily by-passed; a fact which bothered and relieved him all in one.

"I'm going out of my mind..." Sonic grumbled, as he was dumped onto the lab floor. The men didn't even bother sedating or strapping him down anymore, convinced that he was too easy to catch to waste the effort on. They saved that for whenever Knuckles was brought to the lab, though they'd decreased to dosage by a large amount.

"If I don't get out of here soon, I'm going to bust someone's head in."

The young fox smiled at him and gave him a hand, "Well, what is the condition of the security around the complex?" He asked.

"They barely even notice when I break out anymore." Sonic yanked on his quills. "I mean, I know that's the point, but they don't even drop their lunch break to chase me. But if KNUCKLES so much as sneezes, they've got guns at his neck."

As if on cue, the echidna was dragged in and dropped unceremoniously beside the blue hedgehog. To mock the hero, the escort grinned, and gave his farewell in the form of a disregarded quip.

"Don't try anything funny now, hedgehog."

Tails watched at the two guards walked out of the door and shut it, then he looked at the Guardian, "Knuckles, how are you feeling?"

"Like my skull is splitting, same as every time they overdose me." The Guardian hissed, holding his head in one hand and making a sign toward the closed door which neither of his companions could actually see or understand thanks to the thick gloves. It was evident that the gesture wasn't meant to be polite however. "And stop complaining Sonic; this is what we want them to do, remember?"

"Being ignored sucks." Sonic pouted, crossing his arms over his chest and glowering at the floor.

Tails retrieved the usual shot for the echidna and injected it into his system, "Well, while you two were into your cells, I discovered something quite interesting."

"That the commander actually has a hobby OTHER than rubbing how supposedly common I am in my face?" The azure hedgehog grumbled, still sulking. Knuckles thumped him lightly as soon as he felt well enough to.

"What is it, Tails?"

"First of all, the commander considers you more than a common hedgehog. He just loves to bully over you... He thinks that maybe, after the rite, you have become like Shadow. In other words, he thinks that with some training, you can be his second weapon of mass destruction. However..." He trailed off as he collected all the papers in a folder.

"However, that is not true. I discovered that you had already the same wavelength as Shadow's even before the rite."

Sonic was now paying full attention. "You mean, I could've Chaos Controlled BEFORE I went through all that mystic mumbo jumbo?!" The comment earned him another smack from Knuckles.

"Actually, no. Before you linked with Shadow, your level of Chaos Energy was too low." The fox explained closing the folder and controlling that it wouldn't open if trashed.

"Oh..." Sonic slumped again. "So what exactly are we saying here? I'm getting that the general-sergeant-person...guy wants to brainwash me into hating and killing and all that but what's the 'wave' thing for? Exactly?"

"I'm still not sure. I have to see it, and this is not the right time."

"Does this mean we have to stay longer?" Sonic whined.

Knuckles, swatting the hedgehog, also looked unhappy at the idea. "I would prefer getting out as soon as possible. With all the drugs they pump into me, this isn't becoming a very pleasant stay."

The young fox sat in front of the computer, "Actually, we have to move now. Someone sent me a message informing me that the commander had something planned for you Sonic, but this someone was unsure when it would happen, albeit it wrote that it was 'soon'. Luckily the surveillance in this floor is less than in the others."

He paused and took a deep breath, "What I'm worried about is the security around Shadow's holding place... It's very tight..."

"Security around the room itself? Or is it actually beside where he sleeps and everything?" Knuckles was watching Sonic out of the corner of his eyes, since the blue hedgehog was entertaining himself by making faces at the guards on the other side of the wall.

"Actually, Shadow's holding place is a single room separated from the rest of the underground complex. There's only one corridor that leads there, and it's full of security measures, and in the room itself there are stationed several robot guards equipped with both normal weapons and Anti-Chaos ones."

"Anti-Chaos?" Knuckles frowned. "Which means Sonic will be unable to Chaos Control there. Possibly even get close to the corridor..."

"No, Sonic could Chaos Control there, but as soon as the mech registered the abnormal quantity of Chaos Energy used, the alarms will activate and we'll be in deep trouble. Sonic would be targeted with the Anti-Chaos weapons and captured with the net, while we, Knuckles, will be targeted with the normal ones. They may even kill us.

Knuckles nodded slowly. "Which means, we can't simply break into the chamber, like Robotnik did. They weren't expecting the raid before. We'll need inside access, or at the very least, someone who's experienced with these sort of traps..."

Tails nodded and hit another few keys on the computer, giving the command to cripple all the results he had came up with, "The contact offered their help on this. I don't know if we can trust them or not, but at the moment..."

Knuckles growled. "We could lose Shadow and our chance of escape by trusting this stranger..."

"Then what you suggest?" Tails asked him as he closed the connection to the main frame and turned to regard him, "Barge in like madmen and get killed in the process? Sorry to disappoint you, Knuckles, but sincerely I don't see any other choice that ends with us alive and with Shadow..."

"I would have us escape, and come back when we were sure we could get Shadow." Knuckles shook his head slowly. "But Sonic would never stand for leaving him, and even if he DID, he couldn't make it far enough to get help."

"That is right. To get outside help we would have to leave Sonic here. If we do this, security would get up again and it would be impossible to get back in unnoticed. Even with the best spy." Knuckles gave a resigned sigh and concede the point to Tails, his expression indicating that he was giving in, twitching when he felt Sonic prodding his shoulder.

"You two stop talking like I'm not here. I get ignored enough by the guards already."

"Well then," Tails said as he reconnected to the local net, "I'm sending the ok to this contact. If he or she keeps up with the usual, by now he, or she, should be online awaiting."

"I'm still wanting to know exactly what the commander guy wants to do." Sonic leaned over his younger friend's shoulder, peering at the computer. "I mean, it's not like there's too much he can do to make me go nuts..."

"Unless he gives you a chocolate energy bar..."

"Shut up Knux, that was YOUR fault."

The fox shrugged and started typing a message on a small black window, "I don't know, Sonic. But I have this nagging feeling that it has to do with your wavelength..." He said hitting the 'enter' key.

Before anyone else could utter a word, a short message was displayed on the same black window.

"Go for the corridor leading to the A1-Security level chamber. I'll meet you there." The fox read in a muttered voice.

The Guardian's eyes narrowed. "Of course."

Sonic however, grinned. "Well, I guess we should get going then, huh? I mean, we don't want to be late, right?"

Tails rolled his eyes, "Sonic, we can't walk out of there like nothing was happening. There are two guards standing right in front of the door."

"Correction." Sonic didn't lose his smile. "YOU two can't walk around like nothing's wrong. They don't chase me, remember?"

Tails had to give that comment some form of allowance. The guards trusted Sonic's feigned ineptitude more than the hedgehog's own reputation. "Once you get Shadow back, alarms will start, and that will be our cue to get out of here. We'll all meet at the hangar holding the Tornado. Our contact knows the way."

Sonic raised an eyebrow at the idea, knowing he was already inwardly agreeing, but if he didn't ask, Knuckles was sure to do so. "And if this connection of yours isn't trustworthy? The jig is up if we're ratted out before we know for sure we can all make it out of here."

The kit stopped on what he was doing and turned to look at him in the eyes, "We have no other choice. Do you want to be transformed into a mindless lackey?"

A dry retort that mostly consisted of something along the lines of 'Is grass purple?' dangled at the edge of Sonic's mouth, but he swallowed it, just betting that Tails, being the little science-whiz he was, could probably have spouted off at these ten species who WERE purple, and told him where they could be found, if they were able to be grown in a home garden, and whether they were edible.

So his answer was a sarcastic eye-roll, meant to reprimand Tails for asking such an obvious question. There was no way the little fox could turn that reply into a lecture.

The small fox sighed and shook his head. "You better go now, Sonic. You don't want to make this contact wait. Or better, you don't want to make Shadow wait, right?" he asked while he tinkered with a nearby machinery. The Guardian snickered helplessly as he moved out of the hero's path.

Sonic gave Knuckles a short glare and turned on his heel, allowing a brisk wave announce his departure before he opened the door, using the activation code he'd already memorized, and stepping out in the corridor, barely giving the guards any notice as he moved past them.

The guards were not so mindful of their own business.

"Where do you think you're going, convict?"

The other guard pointed the rifle on the back of the blue hedgehog's head, "Shouldn't you be into the test lab under an experiment?"

"The kid's done for now." Sonic had paused to acknowledge the subtle threat in the form of cold metal pressing against the back of his head. He briefly wondered if he could get away with beating these guys to within an inch of life, but that would set the alarms off too soon. So would running, although they more than likely wouldn't follow.

"And what are you doing out here? Taking a walk?" The one with the rifle pointed at Sonic's head mused, turning his head to look at his comrade.

The smug tone was starting to grind the hero's nerves, but he kept his voice smooth and slow, so the apes might understand him. "So what if I am?"

The two humans looked at each other, clueless on what to do, they couldn't leave the door in fear to have the echidna break out...

"What we do? After all, we can catch him pretty easily..." The one with the rifle said.

"That's right..." The other commented almost scratching his head.

Sonic rolled his eyes and started to walk again. Maybe if he left fast enough, they wouldn't notice he was gone until they actually figured out how to make sure he didn't do anything. At the rate they were going, it could take days. The two guards never realized Sonic had left, intent on debating on what to do; by the time they had more or less resolved the issue, the blue hedgehog was already nowhere to be seen.

Sonic put a step on it, avoiding every guard he saw on his route, and looking for any sign that he was on, or off, the right track. Since he didn't see any 'You are here' maps, he was relying fully on the small signs appearing here and there, telling him which sector he was entering. After a long, curved path, he found himself recognizing the hallways as those he rushed through in an attempt to rid himself on the human troops the first day he was here.

Slowly edging around the last corner, a hunched figure caught his eye, and he squinted to see better, leaning a little away from the cover of the wall. The figure appeared to be a human girl that was doing some maintenance on a control panel on a wall, then, suddenly she watched her wrist and appeared agitated. So either she was waiting for her coffee break, or this was the contact, and he was unforgivably late.

Quelling a laugh, he zipped down the corridor fast enough, so that, with her head bowed to the watch, she would only feel the slight breeze he made as he circled around her, and stopped, to his own surprise, without any skidding. Perhaps the upped Chaos Energy level he had was making him a little more graceful.

The girl had short, thick red hair and chocolate brown eyes, and, even if her built was thin, she was well formed and obviously stronger than she appeared; she looked down at him and sighed in relief, closing the panel and peering about before speaking.

"Took your time, I see..."

Sonic gave a noncommittal shrug and stood at a relaxed parade rest, crossing his arms over his chest, in an imitation of how Knuckles looked when he was either extremely peeved or impatient with the hero. It usually worked wonders when you wanted to veil a slight intimidation effort.

"Thought I'd see the sights while I was out of the cell." He muttered, his own eyes locked on her, checking for recorders, weaponry, the usual try at getting the boss's favor with hidden info.

The contact rolled her eyes and sighed, then she started to walk towards a room on the side, "Follow me." She said without looking back at him to see if he was following her.

And at first, Sonic lingered. The idea of going into the room bothered him, for all he knew there would be death traps, or some brainwashing machine or any other numbers of untold danger. Still, bravado and self-confidence won out over caution, and he took swift steps after her, assuring himself that she couldn't do anything he couldn't handle.

The young woman waited for him into the room, which seemed to be a small storeroom full of crates lightened only by a single lamp on the ceiling; she had her back to the entrance and was preparing something that resembled small bombs.

The hero looked on in hidden interest, remembering how he and Tails had used a few homemade bombs in the past. Those had mostly been smoke or tear gas explosives, for diversions, since Tails and he both had a rule that they wouldn't kill anyone if it could be helped. These bombs looked like the real deal, however.

The human female placed the bombs into a bag and turned around, "Before we go, I'll let you know that the robots in there are equipped with the Anti-Chaos weapons. If you get hit, we're both in trouble. You for trying to get the black hedgehog out, me for treason."

"His name's Shadow." The words came out before he could force them down, but they seemed natural. He was becoming irked with all the humans of this base not referring to them properly, so perhaps the words had come out a little harshly. Still he could not pull them back, so instead he dropped his arms, and stood as he usually did, letting the air of ferocity leave him, since it wasn't working anyway.

The human looked at him strangely, then her face softened, "So he has a name." She said softly more to herself than to the other hedgehog, "Since I was called to battle against him, I always wondered why GUN wanted him so badly. I still don't know, and sincerely I don't want to, but his eyes...under all that hate and rage...there was sadness."

The hero blinked, and hid a smile, almost instantly warming to the girl. Before he'd stayed suspicious, to protect himself, his friends, and especially Shadow. Now however, she seemed to give off a better, safer feel, and then, berating himself for not doing so before, he checked her through the Chaos-fueled vision, noting that, though her aura was gray, like the guard, it held an almost yellow tinge, comparable with Tails.

"And your name is?"

The red haired girl looked down at him and hinted a small smile, "Mary Lannyah."

He almost choked on nothing but his own air, but he held in the surprise. This was beyond scary, and weird. The sort of thing that happened in Twilight Zone re-runs and X-files. At least it was 'Mary' and not Maria. Shadow would probably go bonkers if it had been THAT close of a match. For all he knew she even LOOKED like Shadow's old friend.

"That's not short for anything, right? Just Mary?"

The girl nodded, "Yeah, why?"

"Um..nothing. Forget I said anything." Sonic was wincing just barely. He didn't really want to know, well he did, but he wasn't even sure her name held any bearing. After all, Maria had only been a friend to Shadow; and human. No competition, right? What was he getting so upset about?

Mary raised an eyebrow, "Are you feeling alright?" She asked confused. If she had to go into a heavily guarded area with a hedgehog that was like that, well, she preferred to shoot herself right here...

"I'm fine..." He waved it off. "The coincidence is odd, is all." He hid another frown, trying to predict how Shadow might react to the girl, especially if she looked anything at all like his deceased companion.

The human nodded, "Shall we go then?" She asked motioning the door with her right hand, and securing the bag to her body with the left.

"Yeah, the quicker we get this over with, the sooner we're all out of here..." He paused. "You're coming too, right? They're sure to bust you if you don't..."

"Eh... When I joined GUN I was expecting on protecting the president and the country, not try to stab him on the back..." She said sighing, "They ruined my life... I was better on normal military..."

"So you ARE coming then?" Sonic inquired further, eyeing her. If she wasn't, it wasn't like Shadow actually had to know her name, was it? If she was along for the ride, there was no telling how close the two would become...he kicked himself immediately, for not putting full trust in Shadow. Just because Shadow hadn't known what a kiss was when they first met, didn't mean he was disloyal.

If anything, he was the exact opposite.

"Yes. I'm coming." She said rolling her eyes and taking out from the bag a red keycard, "Remember. Once we're into the holding room, well have to work manually for the system will be offline thanks to the EMP explosives I have here. We'll also probably have to reanimate your friend by hand."

"Um...okay..." Sonic answered hesitantly, wishing Tails had been able to come along. "Can you explain how to do that...slowly?"

"I'll tell you along the way; now follow me and be quiet." She said as she walked to a huge metal door with an A1 printing on it. She passed the keycard into the small slot next to it and the door slowly opened.

The blue hedgehog almost bit his tongue in an effort not to snap back at her like he would've Knuckles, and kept just behind her, only because he wasn't sure if anything was ahead of them that would only be nice to a soldier. If there was any real danger ahead, she would probably let him know before anything happened.

Strangely enough, the only security systems present on the only corridor leading to the most guarded room of the base were turned off with the keycard and a code typed from time to time into a console on the wall; that happened to the several huge metal doors blocking their path, which Mary made close right after they passed.

Sonic, keeping close proximity to his guide, darted through the doors as they shut, seemingly immoveable by all means. "You know, if the alarms are going off while we get Shadow out of here, we most likely won't be able to use these doors again. In fact, they might simply cut the whole thing off..."

The human girl nodded, "Yes, but you can ask Shadow to do... um... that trick with the light and get us out. Don't you think so?"

"I can't be sure.." He admitted. "Shadow says I can, but this will be the first time. I didn't have the chance to test it outside, and if I had done it in here, I'd have ended up under an Anti-Chaos Net with the stiff idiot looking down at me all-smug." The final words were laced with a fierce contempt. "I refuse to even let him THINK he can turn me into a weapon."

"Weapon? For what?" She asked clueless on what was going on into GUN's high ranks.

"It's what he wants Shadow for, and Tails is finding clues that he might decide I'll fit the qualifying list too." Sonic shuddered. "The guy's out for some serious bloodshed, Shadow's sure enough of that. I'll eat my sneakers before I let that stupid ape in badges boss me around..." He paused. "Um...sorry, no offense on your part."

The young woman waved a hand, "Don't worry, I'm not much for him either. By the way, why has Shadow being dragged into all this? I know that he can kill an army in a day, I saw him do that, but I think that he would have never done that without provocation..."

"I don't know. Probably because he's technically the only one?" Sonic shrugged. "The guy back there's arrogant enough to think he can bend him to his will, but he'll get the idea of how hard it is to push any of the group around. Tails is the nice one, but even he can fight if you try to push him around." He shook his head.

Mary looked down at him briefly before stopping, "We're here." She said as he prepared the bombs she had in her bag, "Once we're in, we'll have to act fast."

The girl gave him five bombs, and pointed a small metal tongue on the top, "Take that away and you have three seconds before the bomb explodes. You won't get hurt, it's harmless to organic life forms, but you want to hit as many robots as you can with a single hit." She explained as he let the keycard hover over the slot on the wall.

She looked down at him for a sign to go.

A grin lit Sonic's face and he took a darting position, the bombs cupped loosely in one hand, and gave Mary the universal ready signal. This was a part he could fully comprehend, the sheer havoc and rush of a timed rescue. He thrived on missions like these, they had been his first venture as a hero. The faster he went through obstacles, the better his chances of getting to the goal.

And five little bombs along for the ride was no small bit of help.

The renegade soldier of GUN made the keycard pass through the slot and the door slowly opened, "Good luck." She said as she prepared her set of bombs.

The door slowly protested as it was being open, almost like it didn't wanted to let the two enter; then, with a final shudder it fully opened, letting see the room and the small army of robots in it.

Sonic immediately darted in, assessing the situation as quickly as he moved. Twelve robots were within sight, two of them mini tank-like creations, and the others assorted walkers and hovering units. Three were in a cluster, with one of the ground machines nearby, so they received the first of his ammo, all three immediately collapsing in a heap, the ground mech sparking for a moment, then with a shudder, it remained active.

Disbelieving, Sonic halted for a minute to get a better look, and it was an almost fatal mistake, because the little tank suddenly began firing white-hot beams of light toward him.

Mary, on the other had, was a little luckier; she only had nine robots to take care of and they all went down quickly as she systematically threw her bombs to them; however, to her surprise, one of the mech quickly reactivated, "Damn! They're the new models!" She exclaimed to the air as she ducked under a laser shot.

Sonic tossed another bomb toward the mech, but it shot the explosive out of the air to implode right on him. For a second he tensed, expecting pain on instinct, but recalling the electromagnetic pulses would have no effect on him, since he didn't run on wires. The tank was trying to take advantage of his pause, but the last pulse must've damaged its aim, for it was missing by a few feet.

The shot nearly hit the young woman on the other side of the room, earning a curse from her when she saw the laser shot hit the wall a few feet from her head; gritting her teeth, she fully confronted her enemy, "Sonic!" She screamed to the hedgehog, "These type of mechs are immune to EMP. They are more vulnerable to hand to hand combat!"

"Like they've got ha-!" Sonic was cut short in his sarcastic reply, since the mech had indeed folded out two this arms with long crab-like clamps at the end, one of which was currently choking him. In earnest, he shoved a bomb into the cannon of the mech, so that its charging blast ricocheted and short-circuited the insides.

The mech shuddered violently and after a few seconds it collapsed on the ground; Mary glanced into the blue hedgehog's direction with an eye, "Care to help?" She asked as she avoided another blast from the mech in front of her.

Sonic was behind the mech the exact moment he recovered, but before he could leap onto its cannon and stuff a little grenade inside, the weapon did a full one-eighty, and sent a beam that hit him square in the chest, knocking him backwards, with a sharp cry, against the very coffin-like container Shadow was trapped in.

The woman took this opportunity to charge forwards and place the last of her bombs into the cannon as soon as this came back facing her; two seconds later the bomb exploded frying the circuits inside the robot. Mary took a deep breath of relief and the smoking pile shuddered and collapsed in on itself and quickly moved to the blue hedgehog's side, watching him struggle up sit up and shake away the dizziness caused by the impact with Shadow's prison.

"You alive?" She asked as she offered him her hand.

He took it, and pulled himself upright, slowly. "Yeah, that hurt though...ugh, what'd it hit me with? I feel all dizzy..." He shook his head, forcing his vision to go back to single objects, but giving his head a slight ache in the process.

"That was an Anti-Chaos laser. You're lucky you have plenty of it or you would have died from the intensity of it..." She explained as he walked at the capsule at the center on the room.

With a swift motion, she took away the metal cover that protected the glass dome, then she wiped the thin layer of frost that had formed on the surface; this way, the inside was visible once again.

Shadow was laying on his back, his wrist, ankles, upper torso and belly securely strapped to the metal surface under him; a thin layer of ice made his fur and quills look shiny and with an azure reflection.

He was like a statue; nothing moved, not even the raising and falling of his chest...

Sonic held his breath, almost, at first glance, believing that Shadow might very well have been dead. But he was not, the young hero knew that. The commander would not kill him. He wanted the power of controlling him too much. Sonic pressed one hand against the glass and bit his lip. Then he looked at Mary with fierce determination.

"How do we get him out of there...?"

The woman looked down at him, then she went to a console in front of the capsule, examining it; she sighed a little, "Like I guessed, the automatic release has fried with the EI, but there's still the manual one." She explained as she hurried on the other side of the cryogenic prison.

"Help me turn this valve to the right." She concluded placing her hands on a medium sized valve attached to a big pipe.

Sonic took his place alongside her, and silently clasped the value where space was free, helping her twist it in the instructed direction, feeling a soft screech of non-use. The government had gotten a little lazy, it seemed. Or maybe this was deliberate, to stall invading parties? Either way, it seemed to take forever for the valve to give way for them.

Finally the metal valve gave in and the two quickly turned it all to the left; there was a loud hiss as the small capsule was filled with vapor. Several seconds later the glass clicked open and Mary retrieved from her bag an electric screwdriver for the straps holding the black hedgehog down.

Her hand involuntarily went to touch him and she shivered at the contact, "Wow... he's pretty cold... The manual release didn't work properly." She said as she started to undo the screws, mindful that she needed to free him from the trap and reanimate him quickly.

Sonic leaned in and gently began rubbing the hedgehog along his upper arms and chest, moving slowly, but mindful to not interfere with his comrade's own task as he struggled to get Shadow's blood circulating properly. The sooner they had Shadow awake and ready, the sooner they were out of here. The hero was positive that there was an alarm going off beyond all those closed steel doors.

Mary, having unscrewed most of the screws, put away the screwdriver and grabbed the black hedgehog into her hands and took him out of the capsule, "Come! Help me." She exclaimed as she placed the comatose furry on the metal ground and started the cardiac massage, "Every five pushes, I'll stop for you to breath air on his lungs."

Sonic almost lost control, and started laughing. Despite the seriousness of the situation, something about that comment seemed remarkably funny. Still, he nodded and went to her side, following the instructions carefully.

It took them a couple of minutes before they got Shadow to respond; and by response meant that he snapped his eyes open and sat up like a lightning, breathing heavily and looking around confused.

His senses were still half frozen and he couldn't see very well; and he realized that it was damn cold too as he started to shiver violently, "I swear... he's gonna pay..." he muttered.

Sonic's arms found their way around the shaking form at once, and ignoring the biting cold, he hugged the other hedgehog close. "If you ever make me miss a fight by knocking me out again, I'll string you up in front of Tails' workshop and leave you there..." While the words themselves were a threat, there was no assurance of the deed, rather they sounded so relieved that in a different situation, Sonic might have done more than simply hug him.

The dark hedgehog tentatively placed his hands on the other's sides, "Sonic? Is that you?" He asked as he tried to move his head to look at the one hugging him.

Damn, it was so hard to move when you where half frozen; it hadn't been that hard the first time he woke up after the cryogen sleep... He idly wondered what happened.

"Yeah, it's me." Sonic moved a little so he was within sight range, and gently helped Shadow to move his arms and upper torso around. "Sorry, you'll be stiff for a little while. Manual release was messed up, we had a hard time getting you out." He glanced up toward the female girl with them. "This is Mary, by the way."

Shadow looked up at the girl, squinting his eyes to see better, "I know you," He whispered, "You're from that helicopter..."

Mary smiled back. "I want to apologize for that." She rubbed her arm for a moment, and stiffened, looking back toward the door. "They'll be here soon, Sonic, Shadow. We need to get you two out of this room, or better yet, this base." She grimaced, looking at the hero. "Are you feeling capable?"

Sonic nodded slowly, "Hopefully none of us end up inside out or something..."

Shadow shivered strongly for a second, "Do you remember how to do it, right?" He asked to the blue hedgehog.

"Um..." The blue hedgehog racked his mind for the exact words. "I'm tapping into the Energy and getting it to take me where I want to go, right?"

"You have to store it before attempting something. And since we're three, you better get quite a lot of it..." He explained trying to get up.

However, he stopped soon as his killer self woke up, simply brimming with positive words; with a groan, he let his head rest on Sonic's shoulder, "Killer me woke up on the wrong side of the bed today... He's bitching like hell..."

Sonic laughed, and briefly nuzzled his partner's cheek. "Well, if this escape doesn't exhaust me, I'll have to do something about that later..." He slid into his Chaos vision, and began to seek out and pull his energy towards him, finding it insanely frustrating; it seemed to take forever.

"Do what?" He asked as he tried to stand up again, using for support the capsule.

Sonic's only answer was a secretive grin, inching his way onto his muzzle only just, but it was enough to let Shadow know that there would be no outright answer given until they were all safe and sound out of this hellhole. Returning his focus to the task at hand, Sonic resumed gathering Energy and manipulating it around himself. He wasn't sure how much he needed, but Shadow had warned it would be a lot.

"Okay, I think I've got enough here..."

The dark hedgehog nodded at him and latched his hand onto Sonic's left wrist; then he turned around and handed his free hand to the young soldier, "You better grip my hand well if you don't want to get lost in the Chaos Control.

Mary nodded, pulling herself away from the door, still clutching Sonic's last two EMP bombs, which he'd dropped when he'd been shot down before, and grasped Shadow's hand tightly, bracing herself, for she was expecting something painful, since Sonic was so inexperienced.

Sonic however, felt like he has getting the hang of this. The concentration it took to keep the Chaos Energy under control was becoming easier to keep up by the second, and he thought of every small detail off the Tornado, as well as of Knuckles and Tails. He couldn't be sure where they were yet, only that they were breaking out, that they were going to head for the Tornado. He focused every thought he could on them.

Then it was like someone had grabbed his mind, dug in their fingers, and yanked as hard as they could, pulling him so that he was stretching, tearing, but not in a painful way. He could see the room they were in, though his eyes were closed, and at the same time he was looking at a hallway, and Knuckles and Tails were darting under him, and the last door was shot open and soldiers were coming-

And then, with a final jerk, he toppled forward, out of the vision, and downward, landing on something soft enough to stop the impact from jarring him, but not enough to stop his head from spinning.

Shadow, still half frozen but used to the Chaos Control managed to land on his feet; Mary wasn't that lucky, and she ended up painfully landing on her rear, "That was... absurd..." She muttered as she stood up.

"Ugh, absurd has nothing on that..." Sonic sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Well, I'd say that was a successful test."

"If you would be so kind as to stop using me as a chair, Sonic...?" The hero looked down, and instantly realized why his landing had been less then hurtful. The violet eyes of the crimson echidna were glaring up at him, the expression loudly screaming that if Sonic decided NOT to move, he would find his head and body to be two separate entities.

"Aw, jumping to catch me, Knux?" Sonic smirked, deciding it was well worth it to push his friend's buttons, even if the Guardian DID tear his tongue out for it later. "You shouldn't have..."

"Get. Off."

The black hedgehog, which had fallen to the ground even after the perfect landing, managed to cross his arms, "Shall we go? I don't want to stay in here while I can barely move... Unless you want us to shift and have to deal with a less than happy version of me..." He said tapping his finger on his arm.

The woman looked at Sonic, the question about this 'other me' plain visible in her facial features.

Sonic, who was rolling off of Knuckles and regaining his legs, smiling, because Knuckles was still pissed, answered quickly. "Shadow kinda...got split into two different people a while back." He hefted Knuckles up and went to Shadow's side. "And yeah, we probably should get moving. We can get all the talking junk done where we're out of here."

"Says the one with the biggest mouth." Knuckles growled, rubbing his back.

Mary looked at the dark hedgehog sitting on the ground, "Split personality? Is that a joke?" She asked disbelieved.

Shadow snorted heavily, "No. And I'm not going to prove it to you. Trust me, you better..." He never finished his string of advice, for at that precise moment, his other personality resurfaced. "Can we move already?! We're deep into the belly of the enemy and we're here chatting like nothing is happening. And don't piss me off. I'm already pissed off." He commented angrily, looking at the small group.

Sonic gave a small huff of exasperation, and took Shadow by the arm, gently helping the other hedgehog to his feet. "Don't worry, we're going, Shadow." He gave Mary an 'Ix-nay' look, silently warning her not to ask anymore questions. The slightly more deranged Shadow wasn't in a good enough mood to be especially lenient right now.

With a quiet sigh, Knuckles looked at both the fox and human, "Well then, since you two know the way, lead it." The woman nodded briefly, and then she watched the black hedgehog swear under his breath, and wisely decided to not ask nor talk with him if she wanted to get out of there alive.

Sonic shook his head and gave Shadow his side as a crutch, keeping a hold on the dark hedgehog, so that if he snapped, Sonic would at least be in a position to stop him. If he was lucky, there wouldn't be any problems. The black hedgehog balled his fists, roughly ignoring the others around him as he ranted to himself.

"I'm gonna tear him... TO PIECES!" He snarled out, "He's going to be so sorry when I get my hands on him."

"Shadow, I love you very much, but you really need to lower your voice so that we don't all die, okay?" Sonic consoled his partner in hushed tones, while Knuckles kept a watchful eye on the hedgehogs, ready to back Sonic up in controlling the dark furry.

The black hedgehog rolled his eyes, "Let them come! I'm gonna rip them to shreds as soon as they round the corner!" He snarled viciously. Mary, who was still behind them, could do nothing but shiver uncontrollably at the tone the dark hedgehog used. "There's no way they can take me on! Let them try!"

And as if some divine power had overheard Shadow's challenge, the ceiling a few yards ahead of them swung completely down, blocking their path, and allowing two, bulky walker-mechs, at least twice the size of a tall human, to drop down in front of and behind them.

They were trapped.

"You just had to say something, didn't you Shadow...?"


	19. Chapter 19 — Traitors of Several Kinds

Chapter Nineteen – Traitors of Several Kinds

"You just had to say something, didn't you Shadow...?" Knuckles growled, whirling about face, toward the robots at the rear. Mary followed his suit, quickly snatching up the standard issue handgun she had in the holster attached to her uniform before remembering that the bullets it used were no match for the robots' shielding. Tails backed into the middle, since the little kit was not the best of use in hand to hand combat within a corridor this crowded. It was too confined for flight, and the mechanical guards were visibly equipped with firepower that could easily knock him out of the air.

The black hedgehog stared for a moment, then he went into a fit of mad laughs that unnerved everyone; when he was done, he stood up from Sonic and cracked his neck. Yes, he was still somewhat weak, but he was going to give them HELL.

He raised his right hand in front of him, and in a few seconds a Chaos Sword was formed, albeit shorter than a normal one.

"Come and be destroyed!" He exclaimed with a mad grin plastered onto his muzzle.

Again, the young woman shivered helplessly; this Shadow was extremely unnerving to hear, even if she knew that he was on her side and would not attack her unless provoked. Gulping down, she took out the last two EI bombs.

Sonic was watching Shadow out of the corner of his eye, his attention shifting between the deranged hedgehog and the quickly closing in battle. He ushered Tails closer to Knuckles, where he would be safest, if Shadow got a little too worked up in the battle. He didn't want anyone counted as a casualty.

Of course, GUN had other things in mind, as was proven when the wall behind them slid open, and the ceiling across the hallway fell, letting out other mech, this one as large and wide as two of them, and not a walker.

One of the ground tank-like models.

Shadow turned around in time to see the mech try to hit him with a swing of its cannon; he ducked down and attacked with his Chaos Energy weapon, only to find that the sword just bounded off onto the armor, "What the hell?!" He exclaimed as he avoided another swing by jumping backwards.

The mech screeched, and fired a wide flat beam, hitting both hedgehogs square in the chest and sending them flying backwards into the room which had appeared minutes before. The wall, which had disappeared so quickly, was suddenly back, leaving them cut off from their companions.

The black hedgehog stood up immediately and morphed his sword into a ball of Chaos Energy; a wrong move from his enemy, and he would immediately launch a Chaos Spear attack.

Sonic wasn't back on his feet so quickly; he had been sent flying at an angle, and collided partly with the side wall. The Chaos Control had already had him off his best, but this was making it hard to keep focus. He was trying to call on any strength he had left to not only keep himself standing, but to mimic Shadow's chosen weapon. He didn't want to hinder Shadow by needing protection.

The dark furry carefully made his way in front of his partner, Chaos Spear at the ready, "Sonic? How are you feeling?" He asked, concern melding with anger, hate and madness.

"Fine..." Sonic waved him off, almost losing his balance when he did so, though not showing any outside signs of wavering. "I just...need to catch my breath. That really stung..." He watched his hand fizzle for a moment, and a ball of Chaos Energy appeared, maybe half the size Shadow's was. He wasn't sure if his limited focus could keep a larger amount under control.

"Take it easy, Sonic. You're still not trained enough to control the same amount of Chaos Energy I do. I don't want you to end up getting hurt in the process."

"How sweet..."

The sarcastic drawl made both of the hedgehogs' heads snap up, shock written all over their features. Standing at the other end of the room, a dark shape—which proved to be a thick, dully colored blanket draped over something on closer inspection—looming behind his gray-clothed form was the human commander himself.

"It seems I underestimated you two, especially the common rodent. Bravo, Sonic, bravo. You have proven to be quite worthy. Crafty little beasts..."

Shadow's eyes narrowed to tiny slits, "You..." he said, then, a mad grin spread across his face, "Well, I told you that I was going to come back, didn't I?"

The man wasn't phased. "Of course, of course..." He was smiling in a similar manner to Shadow. "And I'm sure you will charge me down, or perhaps simply teleport over here, if you feel you have the energy. I assure you, it would be a very poor idea on your part."

The dark hedgehog tilted his head to the side and snickered evilly, "As much as I'd love to, human, I'm not going to do it. I've learned something valuable from my twin, and that is to think before acting. I admit that before we split I was a mad beast, but not now. Oh, no. I know that you're planning something, and I'm not going to leave my partner unprotected."

"I don't need protection..." Sonic murmured, under his breath so the man couldn't hear, eyeing the other hedgehog stubbornly. "I told you, I'm fine..."

"Leave him...?" The man laughed. "On the contrary, Project. I think you two are the perfect pair." He reached behind himself, for the blanket, and fisted the folds tightly. "Stay where you are, please...that will only make this...SO much easier..."

Shadow's fur stood all on end and crouched in front of Sonic, waiting the right time to move, taking with him the blue hedgehog, "You're not going to get out of here safe, human. And STOP calling me PROJECT!"

The human smiled, watching the hedgehog lose his temper. He could see what would happen already, if he was judging his opponents correctly. He yanked the blanket away from the dome hard, letting loose a torrent of long wires, each with a claw at the end, crackling with Anti-Chaos Energy. The second they were free, they went straight for the hedgehogs.

The black hedgehog fired five Chaos Spears at the tentacles, delaying them a little while he turned around and picked up Sonic in his arms; with a quick movement, he jumped away from the corner and ran on the other side of the room. He needed to find a solution, fast too, and to do this, he woke up his innocent twin.

The other Shadow immediately knew what was going, and started to think hard while the killer kept on fighting. One nice thing that came with multiple personality was that one could focus into fighting while the other focused on thinking at a solution.

However, the wires still outnumbered the dark hedgehog by far, and began to attack no longer as one, but as hundreds of snapping threats, jabbing their opponent's face, arms, and legs. They finally got the desired effect. All at once, a minimum twelve twisted together and slammed into the bio-furry's chest, sending him toppling. Sonic rolled away in the opposite direction and leapt to his feet as soon as he regained his focus to begin his own assault on the wires.

The dark creature growled out angrily, "I'm getting TIRED of this." He snarled as he took one of the tentacles in his hands and snapped it at the base of the head. If Chaos Energy attacks were ineffective, then he was going to tear them apart bare-handed, one by one. The commander looked shocked for a minimal second, but smirked and produced small console from his belt. Within seconds, he had commanded more than half of the tendrils to attack and immobilize the Project.

Shadow was quickly surrounded, but he kept on breaking them; he had already rendered useless three of the tendrils and was now working on breaking the fourth.

Then a sudden cry of pain made everything stop.

Sonic, who had held off on his own against the odds fairly well, considering his inexperience with Chaos Energy manipulation, had been shielding himself with a iron bar, charged with as much Energy as he could spare. The tendrils had been focusing on that at first, because a brief spark of intuition had made Sonic fairly sure that the Energy output was what was attracting them.

However, it was inevitable that he would no longer be able to sustain the Energy around the bar, and the clawed wires had stopped only attacking the rod, and began jabbing toward him. He had screamed because one had made its mark, clamping its jaws around his neck, while the others sought to wrap themselves around his form and constrict him.

Shadow looked at his direction and instantly became more violent; a savage war cry later, he started to forcefully make his way towards his partner, and even if the odds were against him. He was determined to reach the blue hedgehog, and nothing would stop him.

And Sonic was struggling just as wildly, though he was weakening noticeably enough; the wires were dragging him backwards, though he tried to plant his feet into the smooth, marble floor. Before he could really tell what was happening, cold metal pressed against the back of his head. The sapphire stilled instantly, eyes wide.

Was he just some sort of gun magnet now?!

...No pun intended...

"I suggest you stay still, Project." The pistol clicked as it was made ready to fire. "Or there will be many pieces for you to pick up, before this rodent's head is whole again..."

The dark hedgehog stopped abruptly, his ears folded back, eyes narrowed to mere slits and a vicious snarl escaping from his mouth.

"Calm down, Project." The gun pulled away, still aimed at the hero. "I have no more desire to lose this fine specimen than you do. Two weapons will always be more effective than one. Still, the organization can make good with only one, if need be. I advise you not to make any rescue attempts, or my finger might accidentally slip..." A flash of that insane smile.

"...and splatter the Hedgehog all over this nice clean floor."

"You are seriously twisted, man." Sonic hissed.

Shadow growled more, but settled down nonetheless, a small part of him telling him to follow what the human said; at least until Sonic wasn't his hostage anymore. Also, as soon as Sonic was captured, the dark killer had instantly made his innocent other self go unconscious again; he couldn't understand why, but he had this nagging feeling that he had to do it.

The human was tugging Sonic backwards, and the hero, though stubbornly, was forced to comply; there WAS still a gun to his head, and the thick coils of the metallic bindings were efficiently holding him. Then there was a sudden shove sideways, into an opening in the machine, and the tendrils all released at once. Before Sonic could turn and get out, the commander slammed his fist down on the controls, shutting the hedgehog inside, and the machine whirring to life.

The black furry started to struggle towards the machine where Sonic was and growled far fiercely than before; he took another tendril into his hands and tore the head away. This time he was going to feast upon the torn body of the human in front of him.

Then something began to pass through the link. A faint, numbing sensation that was almost painful, but it was the sort of pain that lingered only in the back of your head, only existing if you acknowledge it. Something was grasping that pain, using it as a sort of anchor, struggling to keep hold.

Shadow started to violently writhe amongst the tentacles; the feeling was wrong, all wrong for what the link usually brought between the two hedgehogs. He needed to stop it, and to do so, he needed to get Sonic out of that machine. He growled, snarled, kicked, bit, and clawed at the tentacles, and he slowly started to win the ones that were keeping bound to the place.

Then there was true agony, fierce and crippling for most life forms. It was akin to someone slowly tearing your heart out with a fine pair of tweezers, piece by miniscule piece. And though it couldn't be held, there was a 'feeling' somewhere through their bond that Sonic was screaming, falling. Something was dreadfully wrong; it was worse than when Amy had ruined the rite by entering the circle.

The black hedgehog brought his hands to his head and screamed with all the force in his lungs; he squeezed his eyes shut and started to collect all the Chaos Energy he could muster. What seemed to be an eternity later, he formed a sphere of said energy and slammed it into the tentacles holding him; more than half were destroyed despite their Anti-Chaos field.

Shadow, now free, turned around and growled at the human; then, with a beastly cry he leaped towards him, only to be stopped by the remaining tentacles and the ones that had captured Sonic. He was restrained to the ground, and the only thing he could do was to look up at the human snarling and hissing menacingly.

And the link cut off. It was simply...gone. Nothingness swam where there had once been fear, pain, love...it had all just...evaporated, like moisture on a summer day. A hissing sound filled the room, and slowly, the hatch pulled back.

An ungloved, hand appeared, tan in color, followed by a foot pushing the blue hedgehog out of the machine, and upright. He looked no different, the same stance, the same build.

But what was left of the sanity into Shadow's mind knew that Sonic had changed; the black hedgehog rested his head onto the metal ground, having lost his will to fight, a silent wish for death drifting through him.

The furry, not Sonic, for whatever this thing was, it was no longer Sonic, turned his head, gazing down and the bound creature, and for a moment, if only for a moment, there was a flicker in the dulled green eyes, and through the link. Nothing. The eyes did not know him, the creature did not recognize him.

"Place the Project into the machine."

There was no title, because one was not needed. The creature knew who the commander was speaking to, and who about. It stepped forward, in front of the darker lifeform, waiting.

As though it were expecting something.

Shadow felt like thousands of knives stabbed him in the heart, then, the pain, the sadness and the sorrow was quickly transformed into rage and hate; he jumped onto his feet, surprising both the commander and the AI of the tentacles, and bolted towards the human with bloodlust in his ruby eyes.

Luckily for the commander and not so much for Shadow, Sonic, or rather the creature he now was, had reflexes equal to that. He had spun on his toes, grasped Shadow by the shoulder, and taking him along for the ride, spun in a full circle, then dug in his heels and released the bio-furry so that Shadow was flung directly into the contraption, the door shutting after him.

The dark hedgehog quickly stood up and started to attack the door, frustration, hate and rage clearly showing onto his face. Then the light of the machine were turned on and a strange hum was heard; after that, Shadow started to feel the faint pain at the back of his mind.

Stubborn as he was, he started to push that sensation away while he kept his attempt on knocking down the metal door.

The Sonic look-alike stood on the outside, staring in, placing his hands against the door, pushing back to brace it, helping to keep it from giving way. Sonic would've been clawing at it, trying to help Shadow break through. Whatever the hedgehog now was, without orders or reason, it was holding Shadow inside.

The pain was increasing, and with it, his tries to get out of the machine; after one last attack, the black hedgehog stopped. He could feel his conscience slipping into darkness and nothingness; seconds later, the personality known as the 'killer Shadow' was subdued and what was left was an obedient weapon of mass destruction.

The azure creature watched the chamber open, then paid no more attention to the bionic furry climbing out. There was nothing left to consider; Shadow was no longer a threat, he did not need to be watched.

The Ultimate Life Form stood out of the machine and looked up at the commander with eyes devoid of emotions, waiting for an order.

Unknown to him, however, something in a different part of his mind started to stir...

"Good." The commander smiled down at the two furries, detached and ready for complete mayhem to be wreaked. He pressed a control, and the wall which had trapped them all in this room in the first place slid open, revealing two battered walkers, who immediately fell forward.

The scarlet Guardian stomped into the room over the bodies, practically covered in gashes and bruises, injuries that would more than likely scar. Tails followed, helping Mary, who was holding her arm, blood seeping from the wound she was gripping.

"Where are they?!" Then his eyes locked on the smaller figures, and he stilled. "...No..."

The dark hedgehog kept his gaze on the human, waiting like a statue for a command, not even regarding the group with a glance; his face was devoid of emotions, like a blank mask, and his eyes, once vibrant ruby, were now dull red like Sonic's green.

The commander, none-too-subtly celebrating his victory took next-to no notice of Knuckles' arrival, or the state of his war mechas. He had the world's greatest weapons right here. With a satisfied grin, and a conniving glint in his eyes, he gave a nonchalant wave toward the newcomers, and gave his new minions their first order, but definitely not their last.

"Destroy the vermin."

The dark hedgehog turned his head to look at the group, blank face as unnerving as it could get; a second later he turned fully and raised his right hand, forming the too well known Chaos Sword. He moved it in on his left side, letting it point downwards, almost touching the ground, and slightly crouched, preparing for an attack.

The sapphire hedgehog followed the suite, bracing his feet so that he could make a quick bolt for the intruders, eyes and face just as blank as the other furry's. A Spear, rather than Sword, appeared in the ungloved blue hands, not as powerful as Shadow's but plenty dangerous all the same.

Knuckles growled under his breath and took a defense stance, not liking the situation. Tails and Mary both were not going to be much help: the woman too wounded and slow to block or deal blows; Tails wouldn't stand a chance against Shadow, nor could Knuckles ask the kit to fight against the person who'd practically raised him. He was the only one.

The odds were...bad.

The black creature sprung towards the Guardian and swung his weapon at him; Knuckles' sharp reflexes were the only thing that saved him from losing his head.

"Get the hell outta here, I'll keep them busy!" He exclaimed as he avoided another swing from Shadow.

Tails and Mary moved to follow Knuckles instructions, but found themselves cut off by the blue hedgehog. The kit made a small noise of terror, because while the furry blocking their escape looked like his best friend, his brother, the empty look, precise movements, were nothing like the hedgehog he knew.

Mary acted with a little more bravado, even if it was only bluffing. She'd run out of bombs, and her gun only had half it's original bullets left, maybe less. Nevertheless, she drew it, aiming it toward the creature.

"Sonic, I don't want to shoot you..." She warned.

Shadow, knowing that the blue hedgehog could take care of the other two, kept on attacking the Guardian with quick swings of his Chaos Sword; Knuckles was barely able to dodge them, and if he couldn't find a solution soon, he was going to be sliced to pieces.

Sonic leapt for the foxling and human girl, swinging back his Spear, but suddenly halting and jerking back. He landed on his feet, and the sound of blood splattering on the ground echoed as it dripped from a nick in his upper shoulder. A superficial wound, but one the true Sonic would've complained about.

Of course, this new version simply stared at the wound, at the blood on his hands, mildly surprised. Mary took advantage of this, and started to try and run around him, only to have him charge her again.

On the other side of the room, the commander smiled wickedly, "Once you have destroyed them all, report back to me." The human moved back, his motion earning a sharp cry from Tails, and an attempt to follow which was block quickly by his former best friend. With a wave that was a malicious mockery of the gesture, the officer stepped into a previously hidden elevator, and was spirited away behind a closed door.

The dark creature's ears twitched once as the new order was registered in his mind, then returned to attack his enemy.

Sonic was too busy growling at Mary, who he had cornered, to show that he had heard the commander, though indeed, he knew what had been said. Currently, the nick was the only wound Mary had been able to give him, though she'd fired another bullet at his feet, trying to startle him into moving away so they could flee.

Knuckles wasn't fairing much better with Shadow, for though he ducked and weaved, it was apparent that Shadow hand the upper hand, mostly due to the fact that Shadow would not stay his hand if he could strike a killing blow, and Knuckles would refuse to harm him beyond the point it took to save the others.

The dark hedgehog, 'tired' of the echidna avoiding all his swings, stopped briefly and raised his left hand; a second later another Chaos Sword was brought into existence. He cracked his neck and slightly crouched, regarding the echidna with a dead stare.

Tails was standing between the two battles and was looking at what was once his best friend; deep down, he blamed himself for having conducted all those tests. Even if it was for stalling, he should have known better...

The blue hedgehog moved slowly, watching Mary's gun closely, as her hands shook. The wounded human girl had so far gotten away edging Tails in toward the door, since Sonic was only really attacking her, and was now trying to usher him out of the room, planning to use her last two shots to wound their opponent so he wouldn't follow.

Shadow finally bolted to the attack without uttering a word, his dead eyes locking onto the Guardian; as soon as he was within range, he spun around and delivered a kick, which was easily parried by Knuckles.

The dark hedgehog swung his right sword at him, but again, the echidna moved to the left and avoided it. With Shadow's foot still in his hand, Knuckles spun around a few times, then released his hold, launching the bio-hog across the room and towards Sonic.

The black hedgehog was unable to avoid the collision, and both him and the other furry stumbled to the ground in a tangled mess, giving everyone a chance to reach the same elevator the human had used.

Mary, though startled for a moment, quickly coming to her senses and fleeing, grabbing Tails and following Knuckles. The echidna hurried jabbed at the elevator's call button, cursing its slowness, as the azure creature unraveled himself from the streaked other, staying silent and expressionless the entire time.

Finally the doors opened, and the trio dashed inside, Tails rushing to push the control switch that closed the elevator. The two hedgehog were back on their feet, even as the entryway was closed off, a single bolt of pure Chaos Energy slipping through the doors as they slid shut.

The dark hedgehog was the one that had launched one of his swords into the elevator, but as he slipped into the Chaos based vision, he saw that he had failed hitting them, the closed doors having blocked the blow quite successfully.

His partner moved forward, watching the elevator move upwards, the now machine-like mind calculating the growing distance between the two furries and their ordered targets. The stairs were a good two halls down, so climbing the shaft after the three intruders would be the fastest method after catching their fleeing prey. He looked to the other hedgehog, to see if he had reached the same verdict.

The dark hedgehog backed away from the elevator's doors and raised both his hands, morphing his remaining Chaos Sword into a sphere and adding more energy to it, preparing to release his infamous Chaos Spears attack.

If the sapphire creature near him had the mind and will to smile, it would have done so. Instead, it too retreated, charging his own energy and blasting the metal mesh cover to the shaft out of the way, so none of Shadow's Spears would dissipate on impact with it. Then he made himself scarce, aware that the Spears would spread, and if he was in the way, he would be skewered.

Shadow released the attack and five huge golden spears shoot towards the doors, destroying them on impact; he didn't even wait for the dust and vapor to clear, jumping into the hole to grasp the metal cords of the elevator, starting to climb them.

He was quickly followed by Sonic, although the blue hedgehog paused to wait for his fellow to get a good ways head-start. Then he also began to climb his way up, focused on his orders.

Four floors above them, Tails, Knuckles, and Mary tumbled out of the elevator, breathing hard, each of them feeling very lucky. The echidna had guessed from the explosions following their assent that the hedgehogs had continued to fire on the elevator as they escaped, and would be coming after him at any moment.

Tails, gasping and trembling, fighting back fearful tears, clung to the human girl, since Knuckles was brooding angrily.

"What did he DO to them...?"

Knuckles looked at the small fox, "I don't know, but I'm sure that if he gets under my grasp, I'm gonna make him regret doing it." A second later he looked back at the elevator; faints tremors could be heard and the Guardian grew alarmed. "Let's get out of here before they get all the way up here. Luckily they are not the best of climbers. This will give us a few minutes of advantage." He turned around and looked at Mary, "Where is the hangar with the Tornado?"

The woman looked glanced about quickly and smiled wryly to herself, "We're lucky, it's a little way from here. Once we get out of this complex, we have to run towards a smaller one. That's where all the aircraft, and your plane, is stored."

Tails made a soft noise, causing the older two beings to look down at him. "You mean, we're not going to help Sonic and Shadow?! We can't...can't just LEAVE them here with these insane people! That...that monster!" He was pleading, though he didn't want to face the strange, emotionless creatures his best friend and the person the hedgehog cared so much for had become again, he had no desire to simply desert either of the two.

The Guardian sighed deeply, "I hate to do this myself, Tails, but we can't help them. What we have to do now is to get out of here."

The kit sniffled, hugging his own shoulders and leaning into Mary, the human girl placing a sympathetic arm around the small child. A sudden bang, and a snarl jerked them all back into their senses. Knuckles was on the alert immediately.

"Let's hurry." And the group turned to the door, making their way swiftly to the hanger.

In the elevator shaft, Shadow was halfway through when he encountered a patch of oiled cord, slipping on it and falling; however, he was fast enough to grasp the other cord, but the abrupt movement made him bang onto the wall, earning from him a vicious snarl. After he cleared his eyes from the various spots he was seeing, he resumed going up.

Sonic, just beneath him, was growling angrily, because the darker furry's antics had almost knocked the cerulean hedgehog's head off his shoulders. If it hadn't been for the once-hero's reflexes, he would have been delivered to the morgue in two separate boxes.

The dark hedgehog paid no attention to him, the order into his head having the highest priority; after a few minutes he finally reached the elevator, and with a Chaos Sword he started to cut a hole onto the base.

The metal gave way easily to the Chaos Energy, though the chamber inside was empty, Sonic found, as he gazed through the floor and wall of the elevator. Their prey had already disappeared around the corner, and the hedgehog knew that though they could catch them fast enough, they would probably have found some weapons by then, to even the odds.

Shadow climbed through the hole and walked out of the elevator, waiting for his partner to reach him, which took only seconds, since the black hedgehog had done all the work. Gazing about the room, Sonic gave the dark hedgehog a detached stare, before moving toward the door, so that he could follow the trail of their targets.

The dark hedgehog followed him, and soon he was leading the way, a Chaos Sword in his right hand. He could smell the blood lost by their enemies, and this was making the tracking down much easier.

Then a grinding noise, loud and powerful, reached the hedgehogs' sensitive ears, slowly becoming a fierce purring. Sonic's eyes sharpened, registering the noise as an engine; their prey was escaping.

Shadow accelerated and sooth out of the main complex, running at top speed towards the hangar; if he had the will to do it, he would have cursed loudly upon seeing a small blue biplane lift from the ground and fly away into the evening Sky.

His sapphire partner stopped just beside him, glaring sullenly out at the sky. The three escapees had gotten away with their lives, and Sonic was certain the commander would not enjoy hearing that news.

Letting out a loud but short snarl, the dark creature turned around and started walking towards the main complex; this time they managed to get away, but next time, he would be sure to take this order to the end.

By the time they reached the main room, the commander was anxiously drumming his fingers, frowning deeply. He had been told that the plane taken off, and that his creations had failed to kill even one of the three. Upon their entrance, he cast an unforgiving glare on them.

"You let them escape."

Shadow nodded faintly, then stood there like a statue, eyes onwards but fixed on nothing, awaiting the next order or an eventual punishment. Even Sonic remained silent, gaze averted.

The human male folded his hands together, but smirked softly. "Still...they have no where to go, no one to turn to...somewhat like you, my dear." He looked down at a figure nearby, huddled in a chair, staring across the room at the two hedgehogs in the doorway.

"What...happened to him?" She whispered, sliding off the chair, to gaze at the changed creature. "You promised..." She whipped her head around to glower at the officer with tear-filled eyes. "You promised he wouldn't be hurt!"

The human stood up and walked between the two male hedgehogs, petting them on the heads like they were dogs, "But I didn't hurt them." He said with a fake sweet smile.

A slow realization, one she'd fooled herself into ignoring, surfaced.

"He...was never the monster, was he? All this time...YOU were!" She yelled, her piko-piko hammer readily appearing. "Don't touch them! Either of them! I never should have come to you for help!" She was practically sobbing, and in a fit of emotion, charged.

Shadow didn't need an order this time; the safety of his Master was a priority already rooted into his mind. He quickly stood in front of the human and grasped the swinging hammer in his right hand, completely blocking it.

"Let me go!" She wailed, tugging on the hammer, tears now falling freely, and her arms going slack, though she continued to grip her weapon. "He deserves this! You tricked me..!" She glared at the human, but he laughed it off, waving at Shadow to escort her back to her seat.

"I told you that you would be rewarded for your service, and you will be so." His eyes flashed. "I will allow you to live, so long as you are quiet and cooperative, Amy. You may not leave the base, I can't have you telling the world what has happened to your precious Sonic, nor can I have you blabbing to your friends about all you know of this organization..."

While the commander talked, the dark hedgehog pried the weapon from the pink hedgehog's hands and roughly dragged her back onto the chair; then without a second glance or a word, he walked back to the human's side, letting him absently pet his head.

"Well done you two, although I am disappointed in the escape of our intruders. Failure will not be tolerated in this operation, and while you are both the best, I will not allow this mission to fail simply because of a pair of clumsy hedgehogs..." He took his hands away from the two furries' heads and paced back to his chair, signaling a few of the guards to escort Amy to a cell.

"For now, however, you should sleep. I'll attribute your faults to the wounds you had to be given in order to receive treatment." The hooded eyes narrowed, and his tone was threatening. "..THIS time."

Then he dismissed them. "Go to the medical lab, and allow yourselves to be put in healing status. I do not want today's mistakes to happen again."

The dark hedgehog nodded briefly before turning around and walking out of the room and towards the medical ward; next time he wouldn't fail the orders of his Master.

Sonic lingered a little longer, watching the girl be escorted away. Then, as she disappeared, he turned and followed his look-alike, silent as the other's name.


	20. Chapter 20 — Famous Last Words

Chapter Twenty – Famous Last Words

Tails had always prided himself on being extremely mature for his age. Now however, his expected age-oriented behavior collapsed in on itself and the young kit found his eyes stinging with salt-water as he sobbed while piloting the Tornado; repeatedly, the back of his hand passed over his eyes to wipe the tears away but no sooner were they gone had new ones sprung into being to replace those previously there. He was making the plane fly low, near the water so GUN would be unable to detect them through radar without interference, both from his plane's unusual design and the chopping waves below. Out of the corner of his eyes he could glimpse the occasional flash of glaring red fur that belonged to Knuckles as the elder anthropomorphic male shifted in his crouching position on the left wing, where Sonic had always stood. Mary was squeezing into the second seat behind him, and out of his sight completely.

"Knuckles... where should we go now?"

The Guardian shook his head. Tails did not like that answer. Whenever Sonic wasn't around, despite the fact that the fox child had more experience in world-protection matters, Knuckles almost immediately assumed a form of 'command' if there had ever been such an office among their group. That gesture, when coupled with Sonic meant only that Sonic was either shrugging off the necessity of needed cover, or that he was at a complete loss. In those chances it was almost always Knuckles who found the next course of action. If Knuckles did not know, Tails or Sonic did. If none of them knew...

Well, that had actually never been a problem. Between the three of them, they'd always seemed to have everything figured out.

"Straight to the President, like we should've the moment we got into this mess..." The words were both dreadful and uplifting for the kit. His friend's voice was exasperated, to a point that usually only their missing companion could drive him, after hours of fighting or simple time spent together. "We're going to need help. A lot of help."

"How are we supposed to get help?! GUN is everywhere!" Tails couldn't stop himself there. He was tired, frightened, stressed, and Sonic wasn't here. When they had almost never been separated in all the years they'd known each other, Sonic was suddenly just gone. Even when they'd been apart it wasn't as though Tails couldn't simply go to the older male, for whatever reason. Now, that wasn't an option. There were no options.

Sonic was gone.

Sonic was gone.

"GUN isn't everywhere. If it was, the commander wouldn't have wanted Shadow and Sonic under his thumb as desperately as he did. The organization wouldn't have needed the extra power to achieve their goals. At most, he'd have wanted them both dead, so no one else could use them as a way to counterattack. This man went through a lot of trouble to have our friends on his side, when a bullet to their heads would have solved the problem of opposition." Knuckles growled, gripping the wing until he heard the metal starting to give under his famous strength at which point he forced his thickly mittened hands to loosen their hold, not wanting to damage the Tornado into giving a demonstrative emergency landing not previously planned.

"They haven't taken over yet. We need to stop them now, before they get any stronger."

Mary slightly moved into the small space of the second seat, and Tails had to resist the urge to look back at her. He had long since gotten used to not seeing people when he spoke to them, whether while flying, fighting, or when he was fixing something, but the ingrained habit never quite washed out of him.

"We could go to the President, but I'm not sure he'll trust us. We're going against the top military institute." Mary started, and Tails agreed. Certainly he and Sonic had done enough over the years to gain the trust of the people, but politics and any number of self-pressured anxieties had made the President exceedingly 'hands-off' where he had Sonic were concerned. "GUN will surely know instantly that we asked him for help...We need to get someone that they won't suspect; someone good at getting in and out of places like that base."

Knuckles' eyes narrowed sharply as the human female went on.

"There aren't many places we can go to get someone like that; a government spy will probably be the best out of any other options we'll find. How do you expect we can get one without permission?"

"Sonic had the exact same argument."

The Guardian's observation was tinged with a bitter sound, as though the memory of what had happened to their friends—or at least their friend and the hedgehog they had been fruitlessly risking limb and life to keep out of trouble—was poisoning the conversation, despite it taking place long beforehand.

"What about not asking him, but asking the spy directly?" Tails knew he was meddling to a degree, but the conversation centered around helping his best friend and he was quite sure that leniency could be allowed in that case. "I could get into the government's archives to look for one."

"Without getting caught, and getting in trouble with said government?" Knuckles pointed out. "That could take hours. Days, if we were careful. We don't have that kind of time, Tails, you know that. We need to get them out as soon as—"

"As soon as possible." Mary cut in sharply, and though he could see the human woman, Tails saw Knuckles' face snap toward their passenger with a look that could have frozen water. A loud click behind him made his ears twitch, and he could hear mechanical parts being scraped and interchanged; his sensitive ears knew the sound well. Another click, followed by a hard smack of flesh against metal informed the kit of what she had been doing. Pistol loaded, and he guessed no longer in her hand, the human continued. "It could take a long time to save them, or it could be impossible. The issue isn't just time; it is strength, availability, and just how far ahead of us GUN might have planned."

Knuckles gave the human girl a considering look, and Tails could hear him pressing his own point to the human. The kit knew he was being cautious, but he wished they would settle on a plan.

"The longer we leave Shadow and Sonic with that man, the less time we've got to get them both out of there before they do something we'll all regret."

Exactly.

Tails allowed himself an inward shudder at the thought of what Sonic and Shadow could accomplish without their inherent morals to hold them back. Shadow had already proved that he could be devastating to people alone. The commander had ordered the two hedgehogs to strike their own companions down, and they'd both been far too willing to follow the directions through. If the officer could control them that completely, should that loathsome excuse for a human turned them on the public...

"So, this is the best idea we have. We should get a portable computer and connection; that way, if they get to us before we're done, we can disconnect and move before they find us and remove all chances of access." Mary suggested, raising her voice to be heard over the engine of the plane. "We're going to need cover connections too, so they can't properly trace us."

Knuckles nodded slowly, tucking down a little more to shield himself from the wind, his gloved hands digging a little into the metal, but not so much as to permanently damage the wing. He had learned his lesson. A small growl issued from his muzzle and he glared downward, at the world passing beneath them so quickly that there was very little time to pick out any detail other than summer was well passed and the leaves were beginning to turn colors.

"Is there a specific destination for this plan?"

Mary shrugged.

Knuckles groaned.

"There's a laptop back at my workshop we could use." The young pilot offered offered, glancing over his shoulder toward the Guardian, then turning to watch his flight path. He didn't risk looking back at Mary, for though he had confidence in his piloting skills, he wasn't one to take such risks. "Sonic got it for me a while back, but I mostly just use the main console. It's more powerful, and I can store more information. I haven't fully loaded the profile settings on the laptop, but it does have Inwicon*, and we can move if we have to."

"Then we have to go back and get it; although we have to watch our back. I wouldn't be surprised if that human scum has spread some form of slander stating that we are a threat to society..."

Mary shook her head, and Tails saw a glimpse of her red ponytail flick in and out of his sightline.

"He's been keeping this whole business hushed up, and if he did get the story out to the newspapers, it would be a little while before everyone in the city learned of it." She sighed, and continued. "What we really need to worry about are the walkers he left at every location you guys stayed at, in case you tried to come back. There might even be some human guards there, waiting for us."

"Mary," The fox started, briefly glancing back as if to look at her, but thinking better of it at the last moment. "You were a part of GUN. What standard equipment does a soldier usually receive?"

"Technically, it depends on the soldier. There's always the usual canteen, and personal med-kit, but when it comes to weaponry, there's a variety." She shrugged. "Automatic pistols were what I was issued, since I'm a first-year soldier. The higher you go, the bigger and harder to dodge the gun gets. It also depends on your stationing. I'm a ground troop, so in heavy battle I was also given an automatic pulse rifle."

The Guardian turned his head around to face her, "What type of soldier you think that human scum has left behind at our house?" He asked as he kept his dreadlocks into place.

"If anything?" Mary regarded the echidna. "Probably a squadron with tranquilizers. He had thought Shadow was the only creature with as high Chaos Energy levels as he had. Now he wants to do some experiments on you two as well, the files say."

The young fox almost banged his head on the control panel in front of him, "This is all MY fault! I shouldn't never have done let them bully me into even creating mock tests! I knew there was now way to completely nullify the readings without getting caught, but I thought I could disinterest him in us at least!"

Mary put her arms on Tails shoulders, comforting him. "It wasn't your fault; he was already planning to take Sonic before he knew his potential. The fact that Sonic was protecting Shadow was enough for the commander to want him out of the way."

"He wanted to use him as a hostage to have Shadow do what he wanted?" He asked lowering his eyes and looking at the nose of the Tornado.

"More or less." From her tone, Tails pictured her nodding her head to the questions. "But the commander also had already planned to experiment with all of your DNA. He's trying to build off of that research, left behind by Shadow's creator. I don't know much about it, but I do know that it had something to do with making the ultimate lifeform, Shadow, and administering its DNA to humans, so that they were perfect."

She sighed. "Obviously, he couldn't take Shadow apart. He's too valuable to lose. He was going to work with you, and Knuckles," She gestured to the Guardian. "And save Sonic until he had the formula right. Just in case he still needed the hostage."

The Guardian shuddered visibly and almost broke the wing he was holding onto, "I swear, I'll be letting Shadow tear him apart if he wants that so badly. Maybe I'll even help him."

Tails lowered his ears, "Now I understand why Shadow wanted them all dead..."

"Well, I think there was more to it than that." Mary shrugged. "I mean, I know Shadow was funded for by the government as a cure for death itself, a chance for immortality. But something happened, I never got to read the file about it. I know what I do cause my grandfather used to go on about it when we visited him...he's insane though.."

Knuckles hummed under his breath, "We should pay him a visit nonetheless, maybe he's not really insane..." He said to her, "I mean, maybe he is just frustrated or guilty over something he did in the past and seeks forgiveness by saying things that to you are nonsense..."

"Well, I guess that fits in." Mary sighed. "He rambles on about how he killed someone, and before he went totally off the charts with his mind, he talked about how I was named after her. I don't know, but it's one of the reasons I got into the army, even though he didn't want me to."

The echidna felt a shudder run up and down his back. "Then we have to go to see him for sure."

"What for?" Tails glanced toward the Guardian, then turned the plane, dipping a little lower, since they were almost back at the workshop.

Knuckles looked at him, then at Mary, "Because he might know something useful."

Mary looked confused at the idea, recalling how her grandfather had ranted and raved, thrown chairs and refused help from the specialists until he had trouble standing without a cane, and deteriorated into a hunched, docile man. She wondered how the broken elder he'd become could help them in any way, but let the conversation slip. Now was not the time to argue.

"There it is guys." Tails called, jerking the human girl back into reality. "Let's hope the welcome party's already packed up and moved."

The Guardian looked down at the ground, "I don't see anyone, but this doesn't mean that they are not there. We should land, keeping our eyes open."

Mary cocked her gun, and prepared herself. So she only had a bullet or two left. She could make them count.

The Tornado landed a few yards from the actual workshop, since Tails figured the element of surprise might give the team a small advantage in the fight ahead. He had silenced the loud roar of the engine long before they got in too close, and let the Tornado glide, more or less, into a landing. Then he hopped down from his side of the plane, and hurried around the front to aid Mary.

Knuckles silently jumped down from the wing he was perched on, then he cautiously walked around a corner, spying if there were threats or not.

Nothing.

The entire area looked like it was deserted, and despite a few shotgun shells littering the grass, there was next to no sign that the forces of GUN had ever even been here.

The echidna motioned for the young woman to reach him, "What do you think about all this?" He asked as soon as she was behind his back, spying from over his head

Mary shook her head. "Unless they were called somewhere else, or something happen-"

"My prototypes!" Tails dashed past both other beings and toward the hanger, stopping only a few feet away from the others in the end. "I knew it! They activated my new prototypes for the next stage of the Tornado." He pointed toward the twisted metal doors, which looked like a giant had crumpled them up and tossed them aside.

Knuckles and Mary raised an eyebrow, "Prototypes? What prototypes?" The echidna asked confused.

"I was working on a new model for the Tornado, a walker stage, and I was going to do a full make-over on the design. I wanted it to be able to move faster, and more fluidly." The fox was scampering around the clearing, picking up random objects, mostly clippings from a gun of sorts. "They weren't complete, but I had the weapons system finished."

Mary slightly tilted her head to the side, "You are implying that these prototypes of yours have driven away GUN troops?"

"I'm not sure, but I know that they're not here," Tails pointed toward the leftover GUN equipment. "...and the prototypes aren't here. Something happened, and from the looks of it, there was a lot of shooting going on. Whatever it is that scared your buddies off, I vote we get the laptop, and head out again. I don't want to be here when GUN or my mechs get back-" The small fox's ears perked up, then he became almost frantic, hurry around the other two and pushing at their backs.

"Tails?! What's wrong?!"

"Come on! We should get the laptop and get out of there! The two prototypes are returning! I still haven't programmed them to recognize me, so they'll shoot us down if they find us there!"

"You didn't do the programming FIRST?!" Mary exclaimed, already moving for the safety of the compound, Knuckles backing up after her to guard them from the rear, fists out and ready. "You're never supposed to outfit a mech with weapons before you've got it completely under control!"

"They were only test subjects." Tails answered, hurrying them along. "I wasn't planning to ever activate them; they were just going to be containers for the Tornado's upgrades."

"And how the hell did they get activated?" The echidna asked in an almost hiss, "I mean, they aren't THAT intelligent to wake up on their own, do they?"

"Um...well, actually-" Before Tails could answer, a volley of gunfire destroyed a tree far to close to the group for their comfort. The kit let out a surprised yelp, and stumbled away for a minute, surprised.

Knuckles and Mary turned around and came face to face with the two mechs; before they could even take a step, Tails spoke up, "Don't move!" He shouted.

Mary froze, and a red beam flickered from the mechanical eye at the center of the closest mech's 'head' to trace over her face and Knuckles, before shifting and turning to take a step toward the small kit. The other mech came forward to re-examine the human girl almost as soon as its look-alike had moved.

"Tails... what are we supposed to do now?" The echidna asked not moving a muscle.

"Wait..." Tails whispered, his ears folded down. "They can't see us as long as we don't make any loud noises or overly visible movements. Just give them a few minutes, and they'll move away. If we get them worked up, they might decide to use their lasers on us, instead of the stun darts I loaded them with..."

"You mean... that they are gonna knock us out even if we are not moving?" Mary asked in a whisper, trying hard to not move or raise her voice.

"They might. I can't be sure, since I didn't finish the AI programming." Tails watched the walkers slowly move off, looking more like bloodhounds sniffing for a trail than advanced machinery. "Their logic is faulted, so it all depends of chance and how lucky we are right now." He was looking a little less pale already, because the mechanoids were already retreating back into the trees.

Soon, the two prototypes where off into the wood, and, the fox allowed himself to relax as slowly as possible, his ears twitching as he listened to the fading, clodding footsteps. "We can go now, but to be sure of it, no running or jumping, ok?"

The young woman nodded softly and slowly made her way towards the door, cautiously glancing back from time to time.

Knuckles stayed a little longer, eyes sharp, but was finally satisfied enough so that he followed the others inside. "While we're here, we should pick up some medical supplies. Just in case." He paused and looked at Mary's arm, the cloth around it still soaked in blood. "And we'll need to do something about that."

The woman looked down at her arm, finally relaxing as she entered the safety of the house, "Yeah... in the rush I had forgotten about it..." She said with sad eyes.

Tails had already made his way into the workshop, and soon reappeared, with the supplies, and the laptop, as well as a small duffel bag. "What kind of ammunition does your gun use, Mary? I've got a couple different kinds; Sonic gathers them off of Eggman's downed robots."

The ex-soldier took her gun out of the holster and showed it to the small fox, "I use a Smith & Wesson Model 41. Kinda old, but it works really well."

Tails rummaged for a moment, then tossed her a few magazines. "Try those, and if they don't work out alright, we can test one of the other kinds. Then we'll get to work on that arm of yours." The kit turned his gaze on Knuckles, who was still watching from their entryway. "Are they still out there?"

The Guardian shook his head, "No, I think that they are patrolling the area to see if more intruders are coming. Although I don't want to be here when they come back, so I suggest we move as soon as possible and leave the safety of the workshop to them."

Mary was checking the gun's new ammo, pleased to find that it had accepted the new clips eagerly almost. Tails was already tugging back the sleeve of her arm to tend to the wound there, and she complied to being fretted over until the kit was satisfied.

Knuckles was looking out of the slightly opened door to see what was happening outside, and he was satisfied that for the moment it was quiet.

As Mary flexed the bandages, Tails began to repack everything in the medical kit, and stood, crossing to Knuckles' side. "Do you want to start the search here? GUN might hold off for a little while, with the renegades running around out there."

The echidna hummed for a few seconds, "That is a good idea, but we should get things packed up anyway. Better be prepared for anything. I'll be keeping an eye on the outside." He said as he briefly glanced at his young friend.

The foxling nodded and returned to the laptop he'd left near the med pack. "I'm pretty sure they keep the names of their spies in their military files, which means I'll need a little bit of help from you, Mary. We want in and out fast."

The young woman nodded and quickly sat next to Tails, cracking her fingers as he hovered over the keyboard. Together the two were quickly in the mainframe of the government's different agencies. CIA, IRS, and other well-known titles zipped past them as they narrowed down their search.

"Alright, we've got it down to two infiltration specialists." Tails piped after a dragged out period of nothing but typing and waiting. "The one on the top of the list is deceased it says, so he won't do us any good. This other one has an active file."

Mary looked at the screen and opened the file; the picture which appearance showed a female white bat with bright aqua eyes, grinning smugly at the camera with an expression that clearly sang her knowledge of something secret.

"Rouge the Bat. Top spy and treasure hunter... one hundred and forty-seven successful missions and none gone wrong. She's also pretty young for a spy, only nineteen."

"It looks like she's got an Interpol file too." Tails clicked the file and skimmed the page. "She has a big record with being suspected of gem robbery, but only got caught trying to lift one of the biggest diamonds in the world. They had a tracer on it she missed, apparently. Now it looks like she's working off the debt by helping the government." He looked up toward the echidna, still standing guard by the open door.

"What do you think, Knuckles?"

The echidna glanced back at him, "She'll do, but she better stay away from my emerald..." He muttered, looking back out of the garage.

Tails rolled his eyes, closing the laptop, but not before he had memorized the bat's last known home address. "Knuckles, I'd be willing to bet that she's never ever heard of the Chaos Emeralds, let alone the Master Emerald. Besides, what would she WANT it for?"

The echidna rolled his eyes, "Spies are clever, and well informed." He said walking to get the needed things loaded onto the Tornado.

Mary gave the kit a questioning look, but Tails waved it off. "Don't mind him, he's always been naturally paranoid. Most people don't even believe the Chaos Emeralds exist, let alone even knowing about the Master Emerald and the Floating Island. There's no way this woman has any idea what or where the Master Emerald is."


	21. Chapter 21 — The Plan

Chapter Twenty – The Plan

"So...this is the famous Master Emerald then..." Rouge mumbled, hers eyes glinted as he scrolled down the search page. "I must say, it's a beauty all right. It must be worth a truckload, and it would be a very nice centerpiece..." The bat grinned, clicking the most promising website, and devouring the information with her eyes.

Before the bat could get any information on the red echidna that guarded the huge gem, the doorbell rang for a few seconds.

The bat spun around, cursed, shutting off the monitor. "Blasted idiots. I told them I was taking a vacation; can't a girl get some time off in this town?!" She glided to the door, peering down at the guests on the other side of the door, through the peephole.

The only thing that she could see was a young woman and two orange pointy ears next to her; she sighed and opened the door by a crack, "What do you want?" She asked a little pissed off.

A hand, which had previously not been in sight, since its crimson furred owner had been standing off to the side of the door, shoved Rouge backwards, hard. The two people she'd viewed through the peephole rushed in, followed by the male who'd pushed her down. He had already slammed the door shut behind them.

The white bat stood up on her feet, shocked for being thrown to the ground by unknown people, but more shocked to see the Guardian of that lovely jewel stand in front of her; she raised her right hand and pointed him, "AH! You're the Guardian of the Master Emerald!" She exclaimed even before her mind could tell her to not say it.

The echidna's eyes narrowed, and he glanced at the orange kit for a moment, half amused and half angry. "That's Knuckles to you. And stop screaming." The human girl was already checking along the apartments walls for any bugs, and the fox scampered at her feet, turning off the computer as he passed it, much to Rouge's dislike.

The bat started to tap her foot on the tiled ground, "Ok, what you want? I did nothing against you, did I?"

"We'll tell you what we're here for as soon as we're sure we can trust you to sit down and be quiet, Rouge." Knuckles growled, bristling as he moved past her to speak to the fox for a moment, nodding slowly at whatever the child had said.

The spy rolled her eyes, "You barge into my home, throw me to the ground without a ceremony and you expect me to follow your orders? Forget it." She said crossing her arms and looking away and slightly up towards the ceiling.

"Don't mind Knuckles." The fox hurried over to console Rouge. "He's just been stressed. We got attacked twice on the way here, and it's kind of taking its toll on his nerves. I'm Tails, by the way."

Rouge looked at the echidna, then at the fox, "Ok," She said as she stepped forwards, "Hold your horses. What the hell is happening around you three and why the hell you need me?"

"To make a long story short, we have some friends who've been...kidnapped more or less, by the government." Tails tried to put the words as delicately as possible, so that he wouldn't sound completely insane. "We need your help to get them out of there, preferably alive and in one piece. And to stop the madman who took them in the first place."

The bat raised an eyebrow, "And you expect me to believe you and turn against the government? You're crazy, kid."

Knuckles let out a soft growl and Tails' ears folded somewhat at the sound. "Look, we're desperate, okay? It's only a matter of time before our friends get turned on the general public! With the state they're in now, no one would survive!"

Rouge sighed deeply, "Give me a good reason to believe you."

Mary turned and looked at her, "Do you know about a project called 'Project: Shadow'?" She asked sitting on the couch and reading her computer.

"I heard something of the sort. GUN reported that the project went 'mad' or something like that. There's not much information about that..."

"Well, he's one of the people we're saving." Mary replied. "The man who has him is planning on letting him out on the masses. To kill people. And our other friend is in there too, under the exact same influence."

She was interrupted by Knuckles strained voice. "If you don't believe us now, you will when Sonic the Hedgehog comes in here and rips your head off."

The white treasure hunter looked at him, then at the fox and woman on her couch; she sighed and sat next to Mary, "Very well. What I have to do?"

The human girl sighed. "Well, we have to visit someone else first, before we get started on the rescue. Knuckles believes a relative of mine might have more information on the commander's whole operation. To get Sonic and Shadow out, we need to get them back the way they once were."

Rouge nodded, "Do you know how he managed to get them under his control?"

"We think it's some sort of mind-controlling device. When we got to them, there was a large machine, with an open pod-like chamber." Tails was frowning. "How it works isn't really something we know yet. That's why we're going to speak to Mary's grandfather."

Knuckles was moving toward the window, eyes flashing brightly. "I think it's time we moved again. It looks like they've caught up again..."

The bat stood up and walked to the window, "GUN?" She asked to him, "Oh dear jewels! You HAVE GUN after you? You told me the government, not GUN!"

"We didn't specify. Let's get going." He said to the others, then looked down at Rouge. "If you're pulling out of the deal because it's GUN, I'd advise you to get out of here. They'll want to speak with you as soon as they find out it's your house we were hiding in."

Rouge rolled her eyes, "This seems interesting. I might be able to get something out of this for my own account. So, yes. I'm following you." She said as she made her way to the door.

"Good. We left five minutes ago." Knuckles said briskly, ushering Tails and Mary to the door. "Mary, sit up beside Tails again, we'll need you to direct him to the home you're grandfather's in." He looked at Rouge. "I'll assume those wings are more than just pretty decorations? You and I are gliding."

The young woman nodded and scribbled an address on a piece of paper, "My granpa lives here. You can't miss it. It's a yellow house."

Tails climbed into the pilot seat quickly, and helped to pull Mary up after him, while Knuckles and Rouge stood on the plane wings. Within seconds, the plane had roared to life and taken to the skies. The moment it reached a preferable height, Knuckles released his hold and a settled into a glide beside the plane, watching their pursuers. Not wishing to be outdone, the bat vaulted outward into the sky, pulling up beside the place to cast the Guardian a dirty look.

After several minutes of gliding, the unusual pair finally came to the yellow house of Mary's grandfather. It was small and had a nice garden with a lot of flowers.

Dropping quickly from the skies, Knuckles landed first, amidst the flowers, a few of them crushed beneath his shoes. Rouge landed much more gracefully, taking a stuck-up pose to show off.

The bat looked at the Guardian, "Such an ungraceful echidna, you are. Look! You even stepped onto the flowers."

Knuckles frowned and peered at her, before a smirk appeared on his face. "At least I didn't land on the sprinkler." Almost as if on cue, the head popped out of the grass, with the bat still on it, and started spitting out water.

Rouge screamed and quickly ran out of the sprinkle's range of action, then she regarded him with a hateful glare.

Knuckles grinned at her, obviously repressing laughter, then walked to the door and entered, knowing that Tails and Mary were already inside by now. "C'mon, we'd better hurry."

The bat growled at Knuckles, but followed nonetheless; after all this ended, she would have that huge jewel in her hands to repay her off.

Inside the house, Tails poked his head from the living room, "Welcome Knuckles, Rouge."

"I take it the old man reacted well?" Knuckles asked, turning into the room as the kit nodded to him. Mary was sitting beside an elderly man in what looked like an old, old uniform of sorts, GUN scrawled across the shoulder. It was far older, and more out of date than Mary's uniform.

"So, Maria...these are your friends."

Mary sighed again, "Grandpa, how many times I have to tell you that I'm Mary. Ma-ry."

At that, both Guardian and bat looked at Tails for explanations

Tails sighed, and raked a hand through his headfur. "Mr. Lannyah was one of the soldiers who participated in the ARK Incident, the first attempt at capturing Shadow. While the soldiers were there, supposedly there was an 'accident,' which killed some of the scientists, and a young girl, named Maria."

"Oh, SHIT!" The echidna cursed under his breath.

"In so many words..." Tails nodded, continuing. "The accident was a cover-up; the scientists and girl had been...resisting. GUN wanted them out of the way, so it had the soldiers shoot down anyone who fought back."

Mary cut in. "My grandfather had been ordered to patrol the halls, and help keep the prisoners away from any switches or experiments, so they couldn't sic anything on GUN. And he saw the girl run into a room and try to help a hedgehog escape, and well..." The man was holding his head in his hands, shaking slightly, as though he was trying to block out the re-telling of his crime.

Knuckles looked at him, "You were the one who shot Maria down, right? You're the one that caused all this sorrow, hate, rage and pain to Shadow. Am I right?" He asked softly.

"I was so confused at the time.." The old man whispered, his voice cracked. "My officers were screaming in my headset to take the girl down, and I wasn't thinking. Before I could stop myself...and she was falling..." He broke off, and Mary placed an arm around his thin shoulders.

"Did they want Maria out of the way only because she was protecting Shadow or for some other motive?" The Guardian questioned.

"We don't know.." Mary shook her head. "From what Grandpa saw, they were really close. After Maria fell, the hedgehog was screaming and crying, trying to help her...He sounded like a little kid, he told me once." She sighed, hugging the old man.

"And then the rest is mostly what we know." Tails took the story up again. 'Maria had enough left in her to launch Shadow toward Earth, and later got listed as a casualty, dying from a chemical leak on the colony."

Knuckles sighed, then he kneeled in front of the old man, "There is still a possibility to find happiness for Shadow, but to do so, you have to tell us everything you know. GUN's plans for him, where they might have the main headquarters. Everything you know."

"Shadow..?" The man's gray head lifted slightly. "That hedgehog? Project: Shadow? He's awake?"

"Yes." Knuckles answered and stood up again.

The old man bit his lip. "It's been fifty years, but the last headquarters I remember was a large bland building, in the capital city. Close to the main one, so it looked like they were completely under his thumb."

"Before I left the military, I remember that Shadow was to be reverted into a government weapon, because without it, according to our superiors, he would be uncontrollable. The poor little thing was still a sobbing wreak when they found his crash site..."

"There was a machine they were going to use, to help 'clear his mind'. It was supposed to start him over, more or less, and insert only the information he needed to survive and carry out his orders with. No memories of ARK or what we...I...did to him..."

"Is there any chance to revert or break this process?"

"I don't know...There was a bug in the system last time, it only work half-way." The man shook his head. "But I could tell it hurt the hedgehog. And drove him to the very brink of madness; he attempted to slaughter everyone in the room, to pay us back for harming his best friend.."

"I left the military before they tried again. I couldn't stand being there anymore..."

"So that's what made him so emotionally unstable..." The echidna commented, "And it ended with a split personality..."

Mary was gently consoling her grandfather, but watching Knuckles intently. Before she could voice the question on the tip of her tongue, Rouge, who'd been taking all this in, spoke up.

"What are you thinking, echidna?"

"I was pondering what would happen if someone with two different personalities was put into that machine..."

Tails' eyes brightened. "You mean that maybe one of Shadow's personalities ISN'T under their control?" Mary looked pleased with the idea too, though skeptical.

"Didn't he attack us? Just like Sonic? If he was still in control, wouldn't he have attacked the commander instead?" The redhead pushed some of her hair from her face. "Or at least protected us from Sonic?"

The Guardian sighed, "Well, the killer personality was in control when they were trapped into that room, and if I know THAT Shadow enough, as soon as he felt himself and Sonic in danger, he would have gone into a berserk status. Whenever this happen, the innocent Shadow is totally put to sleep."

The small fox looked at him confused, "So, what you're trying to say?"

"What I'm saying is, that IF the innocent Shadow is not under that human scum control, he's in a deep sleep..."

"So how is that going to help us?" Rouge asked, crossing her arms. "I mean, if you're saying this Shadow person has two minds, and only one is in control right now, how do you wake the other one up?"

"Shadow is based on Chaos Energy. Maybe him getting in contact with a Chaos Emerald will make the latent personality wake up. Hopefully, this is not a problem. I'm sure that the scum will send Sonic and Shadow after the emeralds. However, this is only a theory. That is why we need you help Rouge. You have to get into that base somehow and get info on how to revert or break that mind control."

Rouge gave him a surprised look. "Are you sure they'll even keep information on that? After all, they sound like they've been trying to get a hold of your friend for years. Why record how he can be saved?"

"Insurance." Mary answered, before the others could. "GUN wants to be prepared. If something goes wrong, they'll want to be able to reverse the process and fix it. They're picky about these things."

(your go)

The echidna turned to face the white female, "Will you accept this challenge, or is a top spy like you not enough to help two hedgehogs?"

(your go)

Nam - o.o I see...what hell IS that?! scrive:

Rouge snorted, and crossed her arms, her nose in the air. "Anything you can do, I can do ten times better, faster, and look better doing it too."

(your go)

Az * .org - votate per me?/Vote for me?* scrive:

"Very well, then." He said curtly.

(your go)

Nam - o.o I see...what hell IS that?! scrive:

Rouge seethed at the echidna, but spoke only to announce that she was getting some fresh air, and that they could tell her what she missed later.

(your go)

Az * .org - votate per me?/Vote for me?* scrive:

The old man looked up at the Guardian, "Please. He deserve to be happy. Nothing else..." He said as old pent up tears fell down his cheeks

(your go)

Nam - o.o I see...what hell IS that?! scrive:

"Don't worry, Grandpa. Everything will be okay-" Mary's words were cut short by Rouge's head popping in the doorway.

"Hey guys, your buddies are coming again! You might want to wrap this up!"

(your go)

Az * .org - votate per me?/Vote for me?* scrive:

Tails sighed and stood up from his spot on the ground and Knuckles growled and cursed under his breath.

"Knuckles... were should go now?" The fox asked tired of all this running.

(your go)

Nam - o.o I see...what hell IS that?! scrive:

The Guardian shook his head. "We've exhausted most of our hiding places, there's no where left to go that we can be sure is safe..."

Nam - o.o I see...what hell IS that?! scrive:

"There is a place!" Mary exclaimed, pointing at a picture of herself as a child on the fireplace mantle nearby. The background featured an expanse of grass, surrounded by mountains. "I use to go there when I stayed over Grandpa's house It's not far, we could make it in minutes!"

(your go)

Az * .org - votate per me?/Vote for me?* scrive:

Knuckles nodded, "Good. Take the picture away, or GUN, if they get into this house, might understand where we are." He said leaving the room.

Tails turned around and smiled at the old man, "Thanks for your help."

(your go)

Nam - o.o I see...what hell IS that?! scrive:

The old man nodded, clutching his granddaughter's hands for a moment, then letting go. "Just...let Shadow know...how sorry I am, for my part in his troubles..."

(your go)

Az * .org - votate per me?/Vote for me?* scrive:

The young fox nodded and followed his older friend; the woman was going to follow him, but she was stopped by her grandfather, "Before you go, will you give this," He stood up shakily and walked to the fireplace, taking a small object from it.

He turned around and placed it on his granddaughter's right hand, "Will you give this to Shadow? Maria's last words were to give this to him... "

(your go)

Nam - o.o I see...what hell IS that?! scrive:

Mary opened her hand, and stared down at the little trinket. A pendant of sorts, more an old fashioned locket. She resisted the temptation to try and open it, instead nodding to her elderly relative, and throwing her arms around him in a brief hug.

Nam - o.o I see...what hell IS that?! scrive:

"I will. Love you Grandpa." She whispered, the way she always used to say it when it was time for her to return to her parents' house, after a summer visit. Then she rushed after the others.

(your go)

Az * .org - votate per me?/Vote for me?* scrive:

The old man watched as she ran out of the door, "Good luck, and may you help Shadow find happiness once and for all."

(your go)


	22. Chapter 22 — Unleashed

"Are you awake now?"

Dull green eyes opened slowly, but did not blink, nor show any sign of tiredness. The hedgehog pushed himself up to sit straight, and looked at the scientist who had spoken, answering with a half-silent nod.

The goggled man, sporting a comb-over and dingy lab-coat, scribbled something onto the clipboard he carried. Then asked the hero if his Energy levels had been replenished. Another affirmation resulted in more scribbling.

Shadow was still resting on a bed next to Sonic's and wasn't moving at all; it was like looking at a machine.

Not that Sonic really was looking. The hedgehog's eyes didn't wander from the scientist's face, like he couldn't move unless the human willed him to do so. The man's assistant was already starting to take notes on Shadow, asking him if he would wake up as well.

The dark creature instantly woke and sat up, looking at the human in front of him with a blank stare, slightly nodding or shaking his head in response to the question the human was asking him.

When they were done, another scientist came in front of them, "Follow me, we have a test to run on you two and your levels of Chaos Energy."

Sonic slid off the table with ease, waiting for Shadow to move before him, though why was unknown to the calculating mind.

Shadow quickly slid off from where he had been sitting and followed the human without a word.

They were lead to the same lab Sonic and his friends had been confined to before, but if the hero recognized any of it, there was no sign. The commander was waiting for them in the lab, however. The sapphire immediately went to his side.

The black hedgehog did the same, only he went on the other side, then, he waited for an order. The human petted them on the head, "Good, you two. Now, I want you two to form a sphere of Chaos Energy of medium power at my signal." He looked up from the two hedgehogs and went behind a glass.

"Is the equipment for reading Chaos Energy emissions ready to go?" He asked at one of the scientists

The assistant nodded, handing her superior a pair of protective goggles, to shield his eyes against the powerful light that was to come. "Everything is prepared to give a perfectly accurate read-out of their power level. The adjustment the fox attempted to sabotage our equipment with have been replaced with the original programming."

"Good." The commander nodded, then he looked at the two hedgehogs on the main room of the lab, "You may start." He said through a microphone.

On command, both hedgehog lifted their arms, and focused. Within seconds, both were crackling with what looked like electricity, flashing about their arms and hands before shifting into the center of the room, and forming into a large ball of swirling energy.

"Impressive..." The human commented to himself.

"Commander, and the readings are far more impressive." The female scientists said to him, "I never saw such high readings!"

"Increase power." He told the hedgehogs, eyes flashing eagerly. "Then we will test both of your powers separately."

Both Sonic and Shadow increased their output as much as they could, producing a sphere of multicolored swirling energy so huge that almost reached the ceiling of the room; yet, as much as they channeled Chaos Energy, none of the two hedgehogs seemed to flinch from fatigue.

"Perfect." The commander purred more smoothly than a cat, leaning forward, ignoring the instruments behind him, which were straining to give a correct readout. "Now, Sonic, withdraw your power. We'll measure Project: Shadow's potential first." The sapphire hedgehog's arms dropped the moment the human finished speaking.

The dark hedgehog kept up his task fairly well, and the sphere shrunk by half.

On the smaller room, a machine beeped, "We have all the results pertaining Project Shadow." The head scientist said to the commander.

"Very well. Sonic rejoin the power output, and once he is readjusted, Shadow, you will withdraw." The commander was grinning triumphantly. The hedgehog's were almost evenly matched in abilities. He would have a fighting force no one could defeat.

Once Shadow noticed that the sphere had reached its max level, he withdraw and let the other hedgehog continue the test on his own.

Sonic's power wavered for a moment, than grew to the exact same amount Shadow's had been before, as he pressed himself and his power to the limit.

Another beep from the machine told the staff that the readings were completed, "Sir, we have all the results now." One of the men in white coat said.

"That will be enough for now, you two."

Sonic let the energy fade instantly, and walked to the entrance of the antechamber the commander was in, just as the human exited.

The darker hedgehog, being nearer to the door, was there before his blue counterpart, and as soon as the commander came out of the smaller room, he looked up at him waiting a new order.

The officer smirked down at the two, and if he wasn't so insanely proud of his accomplishments, he might have laughed at the way the two furries tagged after him like ducklings. Of course, that's what the programming was for.

The commander motioned for the two to follow him, and he started walking towards a briefing room, earning some amazed stares from the other inhabitants of the base as the most dangerous hedgehog known as Project Shadow was following him around wordlessly.

Sonic trailed after, followed by a few of the soldiers, and though he didn't gain as many stares as Shadow, he earned enough for the people to keep their distance. The little train paused as the commander sat down at the head of the table, and clicked his way through a number of slides, before halting on one of a map, outlining the border of an foreign country.

The dark hedgehog looked at the slide, focusing all of his attention on examining it and on hearing what his Master said.

All the other officials sat down at the table and looked at the picture, and several gasp as they recognized the foreign country, "Commander, we can't invade an independent state! We'll surely end up having a war! We can't afford that!"

"We're not going to invade it. There is simply the matter that a rather remarkable gem resides in that country. It will increase our secret weapons powers, and when we have all seven, we will have nothing to worry about." The man motioned to the two hedgehogs. "Project: Shadow and Sonic will retrieve it for us."

"But they will recognize Sonic, and they will start an investigation, ending up to us."

"By the time they get the investigation started, it will be too late." The command gestured to Shadow and pointed to the opposite seat on the table, unoccupied. "Bring me that pen, if you would, Project."

The black hedgehog, understanding that his Master asked for a demonstration, instead of walking, he Chaos Controlled there, then back just a fraction of second later, handing the requested pen to his Master.

The others present gasped, and the officer grinned. "And Sonic can do the same. There is no need to worry about them being captured, or seen even. When they are not Chaos Controlling, they are both incredibly fast. We need not worry."

"So," One of the lower officers, "We're just sending them there without back up?"

"First, do you think that these two, or even one of them, would need any soldiers tagging along?" The commander mused. "They are perfectly able to fend for themselves. And sending troops after them would only key in our hand in the matter. No, this will be nothing big. Simply in a out, and quietly killing anyone in the way."

That made everyone in the base shut up quickly and stare at both hedgehogs, almost in disbelief; the silence was broken by one of the lower ranking humans, "Are we really sure that they are 100% under your control? Are we really sure that the manipulator did a good job? Last time it was so bugged that the Project almost touched insanity..."

The commander eyes narrowed. "Project: Shadow. Sonic. If you would...dispatch the non-believer."

Taking from the tone that he did not want the lackey dead, only punished, Sonic moved without so much as a blink, and in seconds, had twisted the speaking human's arms behind his back.

The dark hedgehog raised his right hand and channeled a non lethal dose of Chaos Energy there; then, he slowly started to make his way towards the target.

The blast wouldn't kill the human, but it would be painful.

Of course, the human didn't know that. He began to struggle wildly, as one would if they're life had been at stake, begging for mercy. Seconds before the Chaos Energy would have touched the captive's face, the human official called the two hedgehog's back to his side with a snap.

Shadow let the Chaos Energy in his hand dissipate and quietly walked back to the left side of the commander, waiting for an order and ignoring the various stares all the presents were giving him

Sonic let the man drop to the floor beside his chair carelessly, and teleported himself to the commander's right side, arriving just as Shadow did. The commander smiled at the men before him.

"Any other questions?"

All his lackeys shook their heads, minus one female captain, "When will the operation start?" She asked eyeing the darker hedgehog. The sight of the demonic looking creature unnerved her, but as long as he was under her commander's control, she cared little about the feeling.

"It is already underway." The commander stood, pushing back his chair, and leaving the room as briskly and smugly as he'd entered it. Now sooner had he left, the room erupted into careful whispers, but he paid them no mind. The hedgehogs were already following, totally under his command. His plans were going perfectly.

The commander briefly glanced down at his two minions as he walked down the corridor, then he handed Shadow a map, "That is the complex that is holding the Chaos Emerald. Memorize it. It will help you get in and back out." He said.

Sonic peered over his partner's shoulder at the map, skimming over it once, then going over it again, simply to be sure he had the schematics memorized.

The human took back the map and handed the dark hedgehog a photo of what resembled a walker, "They are not as powerful as ours, but they can be a problem if you're not careful. To defeat them easily and quickly, kill the pilot inside the cockpit located in the middle of the torso. One of your special attacks will be fairly effective against the thick armor."

Finally, he brought out a another photo, and showed it to both hedgehogs in turn, watching as Sonic's eyes carried a strange flicker of recollection, but ignored it. "And this," He said slowly, to make sure they soaked in every word. "Is the Chaos Emerald you will be retrieving."

The black hedgehog looked at the green gem carefully, then he nodded as he memorized it into his head without so much effort.

His blue fellow mimicked the affirmation, and the commander took the photo away.

"You are to get in and out as silently as possible. Do not leave the gem behind." The man stood fully, straightening so that he looked fairly intimidating. "And if you come across the intruders from before.."

"..your previous orders still stand."

Shadow nodded, then followed his Master again as the human led them to the hangar for the transportation towards the confine, "I want this operation to be successful. Is that clear? I WILL NOT tolerate a failure." He said as he walked out of the base and spotted the military helicopter,

"You will jump from the helicopter as soon as you reach land, then you will reach the compound on foot. Night will be a good time to move."

Both hedgehogs watched the human leave them on the rooftop, and the moment he was completely out of sight, and they were sure nothing else was to be said, they crossed to the copter, which had already revved up its engine, and climbed aboard.

Shadow turned around and climbed into the flying machine, sitting onto one of the two 'benches' inside; ignoring the stares the crew gave him.

Sonic was less ignorant, focused directly on the curious humans with an eerie glare, until they looked away. Then he too was seated.

The travel was a couple hours long, and from time to time the two pilots silently commented over the engine noise about their passengers thanks to their com link; it was unnerving to have those two emotionless creatures ready to kill someone at a simple command of their superior, especially the black one. They had heard all the stories pertaining the Project, and it was hard to believe that the commander had managed to subdue him.

Perhaps they were less uncomfortable with Sonic simply because he was a well-known hero. Virtually nothing was known about the ultimate life form, except that he had amazing power and was quite insane. Seeing the blue hedgehog on the news countless times from saving the Earth didn't give him much of a terrifying reputation.

Yes, seeing that same hero with a blank expression and dull eyes was still... unnerving...

"Ah! We're approaching land." One of the two pilots said, thankful that the two hedgehogs were going to leave soon.

Sonic got on his feet carefully, grasping the sliding door and pulling it open partway to look down from the helicopter. Below, the land was a mix of greens and brown, a few shocks of blue outlining what was probably small lakes, ponds, and maybe even large pools.

The black hedgehog stood beside him, then, without a word, he jumped from the helicopter without a parachute as his special shoes could slow down the descent once he was near the ground enough.

His sapphire partner went out seconds later, but instead of relying on hover shoes, like his partner, Sonic dipped into a free fall, waiting until the very last minute before impact, then going into a spin, so that he hit the ground like a saw. A cloud of dust later, the hero emerged, slightly scuffed, but in good condition. Then he turned his head to the sky, to watch the descent of his fellow.

Shadow touched the ground a few seconds later, then he looked at the surrounding; if the map of the zone was correct, the base holding the Chaos Emerald was beyond a forest located to the east; with a crack of his neck to get rid of the kinks there, he set off towards the said direction into a 'jogging' pace, looking out for eventual enemies.

Sonic pulled even with the other hedgehog in moments, but did not go any further. They had both been instructed to retrieve the Emerald, but Shadow seemed to be favored by their Master. As such, Sonic was naturally following the hedgehog's lead.

Finally, after an hour of 'slow' run, the two reached the forest, and Shadow immediately switched to the Chaos-based vision to see if there were enemies in it. There were no human or machine scout, but that was replaced by a tight surveillance from cameras and sensors; this would be tricky, but not hard. They expected intruders to walk on the ground, not on the tree tops.

Almost as if Sonic was reading the other hedgehogs mind, the sapphire bounded into the branches above, reaching the canopy in a matter of moments. The old Sonic would have never accomplished this feat, but this newer version had less than no trouble with balancing on the flimsy upper tree limbs.

Shadow quickly followed him, and both started to silently make their way towards the base; the dark hedgehog's calculating mind guessed that they would be at the perimeter near nightfall.

The other hedgehog, moving as quickly as possible, took in the security system beneath them. It was well done, for all the work the engineers had obviously put into it, but it wasn't anything that couldn't easily be outdone.

Finally, after some more minutes of tree hopping, the two creatures reached the base perimeter; it was well guarded, but nothing a Chaos Control couldn't out do.

Shadow looked up at the sky; it was almost nightfall; this made things for them even easier. humans couldn't see in darkness, and even if equipped with night-vision goggles, they couldn't see much. This would apply to them too, but the fact that they were hedgehogs, and not humans, and the fact that they could see into the spectrum of Chaos Energy solved the problem.

Sonic was already scanning the building's defense with the Chaos-based vision, noting that there were at least four of the mechs the commander had warned them about, plus quite a few guards on foot. They could easily Chaos Control past them, and into the facility.

Shadow stood erected on the branch, then looked over at Sonic for a silent confirm about the unspoken plan that ran into his head.

With an almost unseen nod to the other hedgehog, Sonic focused his mind on the base before them and whispered the command under his breath. Within seconds, the flash had appeared, and the azure furry had vanished into the building.

If he had been his old self, Shadow would have been proud of him; however, now he just Chaos Controlled inside, following the faint trail left during Sonic's own move during teleporting so he would appear right next to him.

Sonic waited only long enough for the other hedgehog to arrive, then began to make his way toward the Emerald, following the Energy signature, and keeping an eye out for guards.

They were too fast to be seen by security cameras, and with the occasional Chaos Control to avoid patrols, the two furries reached the outside of the chamber holding the Chaos Emerald.

It was an heavy door that blocked the passage, but another Chaos Control later, the two were into the room, with the green Chaos Emerald inside a bulletproof glass in the middle of the room and surrounded by machinery right in front of them.

Sonic immediately charged a Chaos Spear and thrust it into the heart of the case. The glass may have been built to withstand puny lead pellets, but Chaos Energy shattered the cover of the Emerald in seconds, expelling a shower of large shards of glass toward the two hedgehogs.

As soon as the case shattered, alarms went off and the door of the entrance was covered by another security door; Shadow barely acknowledge it before going to the pedestal and retrieved the gem.

When his hand connected with the Chaos Emerald, unknown to him, something in his mind slightly stirred.

The footsteps of the approaching foot soldiers were pounding in Sonic's sensitive ears and the sapphire hedgehog was instantly at his partner's side, already passing a message that they could use the power of the Emerald to combine their Chaos Controls and move twice as far. They would be on the other side of the forest in seconds, and the enemy would be none the wiser.

The dark hedgehog held up the emerald for the other to touch; his right ear pivoted towards the door as he heard a voice on the other side, screaming to someone to open the door instantly.

His partner grasped the gem lightly, and tapped into the surge of power surrounding it, his senses magnified tenfold within seconds.

Unlike his old self, who would have lingered, observing the multiple heartbeats of the humans outside, and the feeling of everything around him, this Sonic shut all distractions out and began to gather Chaos Energy, this time not only around himself, but his fellow as well.

Shadow helped him in the task, and a few seconds later, the two hedgehog vanished into a bright display of white light.

When the humans on the other side of the door managed to open the two doors, what they saw was nothing more than a broken pedestal and a missing emerald.

Back along the country's borders, a secondary helicopter hovered above ground, the commander himself peering out into the darkness. He wanted to witness the mission's success firsthand. The hedgehogs would either make or break his plans in the next moment.

A large flash of green light caught the human's attention immediately, and he ordered the pilot to dip downward for a closer view, his mind already gleefully cheering his minions on.

The pilots looked down at the ground, but where able to see only a faint shape of royal blue amongst the darkness of the night; but as soon as they were low enough, they also acknowledged the red streaks of the Project: Shadow. The dark hedgehog paid their fearful stares no mind and he just jumped into the helicopter, showing the commander the precious gem.

Sonic was up after his look-alike, and the copter was in the air again, seconds later, the door already being closed and the pilot charting their course for the base. In the passenger compartment, the commander grinned down at the two hedgehogs, "I see you succeeded."

Shadow merely nodded as he stood in front of the commander, not even sitting if the human didn't say so.

His sapphire partner made no move at all; the black and crimson hedgehog's affirmation had been enough to prove the outcome of the mission. The commander gestured for the two furries to sit down quickly, partially having forgotten that they wouldn't unless he told them to. "Good, good. This puts us right on schedule." He rubbed his hands together in anticipation.

Shadow nodded again at his master and went to sit on the opposite bench from where the commander was sitting, then he looked at him, knowing for sure that he was not here to compliment them; he could have done that when they had returned to the base.

Indeed, the commander proved their theory correct, lacing his fingers together to look intently at the two hedgehogs before him. "You have retrieved the first of the seven jewels; I'm sure I don't have to tell you that you're expected to also obtain the other six. We have knowledge of the second one, resident in one of Station Square's smaller museums, but beyond that one, our sources fail us. We are not completely certain of the other five's whereabouts."

The dark hedgehog looked down at the green emerald, then back at the commander, silently asking for permission to talk.

"Speak, Project: Shadow," The commander waved his hand, and though his hands and face showed nothing but careless apathy to the hedgehog's wish, his hooded eyes warned the life form that whatever he said next had better be important, and to the point.

"Chaos Emeralds attract each others." He said in an emotionless voice, sure that this knowledge would please his Master.

And it did, for the human official smiled. "Which tells me that you will both be more than able to track the other five Emeralds down on your own. However, I do not want you to spilt up to search. It may take less time, but it increases the chances of us being caught."

Shadow faintly nodded again, understanding, then he stood immobile, waiting for the helicopter to take them to their next destination.

"We're here," The commander said, before the pilot could open his mouth, and the copter dipped, hovering close to the roof off the well-known building. Sonic was on his feet in a moment, and the commander allowed him to dislodge, speaking to both as the hedgehogs got down from the copter.

"You are to report to the base after all the Emeralds have been located and are in your custody. From this point on, GUN will not take any part in freeing you if you are captured, because if you are, it will be by your own faults." The man stood tall and looked down at the silent furries. "All previous orders stand still, you will allow no one to get in your way."

The dark hedgehog nodded, remembering extremely well the previous orders the commander had given them, then he silently stared at him, waiting to be ordered to start the mission.

The final order was not given through the commander's words. Rather it was by the lifting of the helicopter into the night, abandoning both hedgehog on the rooftops to deal out their mission how they chose, though the only real choice was that they would do so without delay and without failure.

Shadow briefly watched as the helicopter with his master silently disappeared into the night, then he turned around and walked to the edge of the roof, looking down at the street; nobody was around, and it was extremely quiet. Turning around, he looked if he could find another way in as busting through the main doors would only leave too much evident traces; something that could lead to them too soon, and Chaos Control could result in a disaster.

Without saying a word, he walked past his blue companion and stopped in front of an air duct's opening; at first, it was horizontal, then after a few feet it dipped vertically into a building. It was too small for a human, but for a hedgehog it was perfect. He easily took the grate away from the opening and entered into it, and when he was to the vertical drop, he started hovering into place, waiting for Sonic so he could silently hover down the way with him.

The cerulean hedgehog had been watching his fellow the entire time, and seemed almost hesitant to go near the air duct. Perhaps some part of the original personality in the hero's mind still lingered, Sonic always had been uneasy in tight spaces, but if that was so, the newer inhabitant won out, and the azure furry moved forward to the duct's entrance.

Shadow hovered to a corner and let the other hedgehog enter the small place, letting him stand on his air sneaker and grabbing him by the waist so he wouldn't fall during the descent; then, very slowly, he started to diminish the energy output from his shoes and hovered down the duct.

Some deeper instinct within Sonic made him react almost immediately to the darkness of the duct, digging his fingers into his partner's arm for a moment, and in that same instant, there was a slight flicker of apprehension. Then the furry relaxed, and went blank again, not so much out of trust as that getting inside the building was key to the success of the plan.

Soon, the dark hedgehog touched the end of the air duct and deactivated his hover shoes, then he crouched and looked around; there where three ways, and he chose the one at his right as it led towards the direction where his Chaos-based vision had located the second Chaos Emerald.

Sonic moved after the dark hedgehog, guarding the rear carefully, sweeping over the compound with his Chaos vision. Both could easily spot the infra-red beams on that level of inner sight, making it fairly simple dodging and careful weaving of the laser web. As for guards, it appeared that the only ones were on the outside of the building. And robots? There was none to speak of.

Finally, after several minutes of careful navigation, the two arrived to the room holding the yellow Chaos Emerald; quickly getting off of the Chaos-based vision, and slightly blinking at the sudden darkness, Shadow silently pried a grate from its place, then jumped down and landed with a silent 'thud'.

Sonic waited until the other had moved far enough away from the opening of the duct, and then also proceeded to vault to the ground, landing a little harder than Shadow had, but nothing that would set off the alarms.

His eyes flicked to the three nearby security cameras, the kind that rotated to capture the whole room one film, and sent a few sparks of Chaos Energy at them, melting the lenses and causing each to short-circuit in turn. With a shadow of a smirk crossing his face, he stood from his bowed position, and looked to the other hedgehog for the next step.

Shadow merely turned around and charged up a Chaos Spear in his right hand, then with the left one he pointed the emerald to Sonic, indicating that after he had launched the attack, they would have to bolt for it and then teleport away and out of the building.

Sonic, if it had been in his corrected nature, might have applauded the plan. It was something overall simple, easy. He could understand it. Bracing his feet, he focused on making a small Chaos Control, creating a curve in the path so that he would automatically return to Shadow's side, and they could use the same long-range teleporting trick they had recently learned.

It took the black hedgehog just a few more seconds to reach a good amount of charge, then he unleashed it towards the bulletproof chase; the glass exploded into thousands pieces as the Chaos Spear slammed into it with unthinkable violence.

With a flash of speed, one arm swiping out to grasp the Emerald, and transporting himself back to the other's side, grasping his partner and tapping into the Emeralds they possessed in order to draw out another Chaos Control.

As soon as he felt the familiar tingle of the beginning of a Chaos Control, Shadow took over the lead and instantly teleported both of them outside the museum, atop the roof of the building standing on the other side of the street.

Once they were out, he looked at the yellow gem that Sonic was holding in his left hand; with that, they had two out of seven, and he was going to make sure that the other five where in his master's hands as soon as possible.

Sonic was also examining the yellow gem, thoughtfully almost, if there was really room for thought in the new frame of enslaved mind the hedgehog possessed. His brow suddenly furrowed, as though he was struggling to remember something distant and blurred about it. The ungloved fingers gripped the yellow gem for a moment, then he looked at his fellow from the corner of his eyes.

"The human called Ivo Robotnik...he possesses one of these..."

The black and red hedgehog merely nodded, then let his companion led the way since he knew where this human was located, and thus leaving the zone to the policemen that were now arriving; too bad for them that by the time they got there, they would be far away.


	23. Chapter 23 — Fight by Light

Chapter 4 - Fight by Light

"Wow."

"Is that all you can say?" Mary asked, trying conceal the growing smile. Knuckles and Tails had more than been impressed, but at least they had been able to quell any undignified shows of awe. Rouge however, seemed quite taken with their surroundings

It was obvious the bat was a city oriented person, and had seen quite a bit. Retro hot springs resorts however, were not at the top of that list.

"Wow. Really just...wow..."

The young woman grinned and motioned for the group to follow her; she walked to the huge Japanese stile gate and opened it with a key she had obtained years ago from the late owner of the complex.

"It's old and dusty, but it's still good looking, am I right?" She asked to her new friends.

"Good looking's an understatement..." Rouge mumbled, gazing at the feudal era stylized building, featuring a three story building modeled after a temple, given a green curtain by hanging ivy strands, with even a crumbling jade dragon perched on the roof to give it a ancient flair. "It gorgeous..."

Mary smiled, "And you should see the hot springs! They are huge!" She exclaimed excitedly.

"Later Mary." Knuckles said warningly, his tone reminding them how serious the situation was. "We're here to hide, not enjoy ourselves, remember."

"The planes have cleared the area for now..." Tails murmured softly, eyes trained on the skies above them. "No telling when they'll come back though..."

"Oh, shut up, echidna. You sure are blind." Rouge commented as she walked after the human, entering into the ancient looking building.

The Guardian glared at the retreating back of the girl, ignoring Tails darting around him as he seethed. Something about that female was utterly infuriating. Worse than Sonic. Well...almost. Close, but not quite; they were toeing the line though.

"Come on, you dim-witted anteater!" Rouge called back to him.

If it wasn't for the fact that they needed her, he would have bolted after the bat and choked her to death; instead, he limited himself on relaxing and walking after the trio.

Rouge smiled, and returned her attention to following Mary's lead, knowing full well she was seriously rubbing Knuckles the wrong way. If she had to be dragged off on this trip without so much as a shopping mall nearby, and for no real reason, at least she could enjoy herself.

"We're here." Mary announced, turning back to face them.

Tails looked around in awe; they where into the reception of the hot springs' hotel, and it looked... beautiful even if the place was unused by years, "Wow." He commented as he stared up at the ceiling, which was painted with a Chinese dragon soaring into a sky, white puffs of clouds all around it.

"Yeah, it's still exactly the same." Mary grinned, proud of herself. "Okay, if everything's really as I remember, the hot springs are over that way," She swept her arm to the left, "...and the guest rooms are straight up those stairs on the upper levels. Then the kitchen and stuffs to the right.."

"Is there a TV or a radio around here?" The small fox asked looking around, "I'd like to hear the news of the day."

"There's one behind the reception desk, but this place has been deserted at least five or six years. I can't tell you for sure whether it works or not." She was already swiping a pair of keys from the wall, before looking to the bat and Guardian.

"So you two lovebirds getting a room together or what?"

Knuckles stared at her, then started to literally fume, "Are... you... KIDDING?!" He asked with venomous voice.

Rouge on the other hand was far past yelling, resigning herself to simply stomping her foot once, grabbing the key from the human girl's grasp then turning on her heel to march away toward the stairs, with a flushed face, muttering.

Tails stared, then turned and walked towards the TV behind the counter, examining it and trying hard to not burst out laughing. Mary, on the other hand, was snickering visibly.

Finally the young fox gave the on off switch for the screen a test flip, and to both his and Mary's surprise, the TV flickered to life.

"...a series of mysterious robberies, each involving a large priceless gem, first from our close neighbor country, and then in our own Station Square. Dr. Robotnik was seen fleeing the abandoned ruins of a warehouse on the docks only last night, but avoided capture-"

Mary quickly walked in front of the TV, "So... his plans are into motion, now..." She said, knowing too well what was behind the robbery of the 'precious gems'.

"He's making them collect the Chaos Emeralds, and in a night they already have two of them..." Knuckles commented as he forget all about Rouge and stood beside the young woman, "If they keep it up, they will have them all in a matter of a few days. Hopefully Eggman will keep them at bay for a little while."

"Doesn't sound like he has. Robotnik usually only runs when he's lost for sure, after all." Tails pointed out, eyes locked on the screen. "Chances are they got the Emerald from him, and he tried to get out of there before either of them decided to finish him off."

"But what I'm confused about is that 'ancient demon thing' that is at his service... Remember how Shadow was terrified by it and how it reduced Sonic?" The small fox asked to the Guardian.

"I don't know either." Knuckles shook his head. "Then again, we've never known Robotnik to think his clearest when faced with Sonic. And with him acting the way he is right now? I'm sure he's as unnerved as we were. It's just not...right."

"You're right... GUN was never right..." Mary said looking down, "What I heard from my grandpa... made me shudder... how could they treat a small innocent hedgehog and drive him into the brink of madness and leaving him unstable like that?"

"I wouldn't really know..." Tails shook his head. "Wait...Mary, do you have any idea how old your commander is? I mean...exactly?"

Mary shrugged, "I don't know. That is an information classified top-secret. But there's the voice that he's been around for a long time. More than he's supposed to..."

"He doesn't LOOK too old.." Knuckles pointed out. Doesn't sound it either...what are you coming to, Tails?"

"I'm trying to clue in pieces of a puzzle.." The kit answered, pacing. "Like how the commander knew about the whole ARK incident, which could be credited to the GUN files, I suppose...how he got information about the machine he used to convert Sonic and Shadow..."

"Hold on, hold on..." Rouge said, returning from her room, having heard the conversation thanks to her good hearing and the quiet place, "You're IMPLYING that he's around since the ARK Incident? Oh... come on. He can't be that old! Nobody's immortal..."

"I never said he was..." Tails corrected the bat, ceasing his walk to and fro for a short time, ears twitching in slight agitation, like they always did when he was puzzling over something. "But if he is that old, there are lots of ways to keep him from looking and sounding it. Simply things like surgery and such.. but I don't think that's what's going on..."

Knuckles instantly straightened up, remembering something Shadow had said to him while they were on the island, "There is another way, Tails. One far more efficient than every existent surgery..."

"Like what?" Rouge interjected, her hands perching themselves on her hips in a defiant, disbelieving stance. "He can't just stop himself from aging."

"There is a way. Shadow was created to be ageless, he told me so, and that human scum may have found a way to achieve it once GUN put its hands over Shadow fifty years ago." He said, hate and despise in his voice.

"But just because he was created to be ageless doesn't mean he IS." Rouge said pointedly, leaning against the counter Tails was once again pacing behind. "How would he know he's ageless? Hell, how would WE know for sure?"

"Chaos is ageless too, and he's a creature that is exclusively based on Chaos Energy. If Shadow is relying exclusively on this energy to live, then he's ageless." The Guardian explained, "And when Sonic linked with him, he may have acquired this peculiarity too."

Tails paused, then tugged at one ear, looking somewhat annoyed. "You mean he'll NEVER grow up!?" The sense of irony was too much to bear: while Tails was younger than Sonic, he was infinitely more mature. Sonic never growing any older would probably make him even less adult-like, especially if he had all the time in the world.

"Yes." Was the dry answer of the echidna, "Both Sonic and Shadow will remain like we seem them today. They simply won't age."

"Ugh, stuck with a reckless teenager the rest of my life..." The kit groaned, earning a small laugh from Mary. She didn't know Sonic personally, as well as they other two did, but she was already forming a bit of a guess on what the hedgehog was like.

"At least Shadow will counter his reckless fairy well. They are the opposite of each other in personality... Albeit one of the two Shadow is a mad bloodlust killer..."

Mary shook her head slowly. "I'm more worried about the Sonic and Shadow we've got on our hands right now. The Chaos Emeralds are a source of great power, right? I mean, I remember that one televised battle Sonic had, just last year, wasn't it? Against that giant water...dinosaur?"

"Chaos," Knuckles corrected her, "But you're right. If that scum that call himself human get his hands over the seven Chaos Emeralds... we're all dead..."

He turned to face Rouge, "That is why we need your help now."

Rouge faltered. "Well, if you need me to find the Emeralds, that's easy. I tracked them down a little while back; that's how I know who you are, by the way.." She twirled a gloved finger in her shoulder-length, white fur. "It sounds like they've already gotten a couple, but the report didn't say they'd hit the Park, or the casino yet. We might be in time to get those two, at least..."

"Very well, then. While Rouge and I are out in search of the emeralds, you two" He turned to face the fox and human, "...will try to get into GUN's computers and get some info about that machine the scum used to enslave Sonic and Shadow." He paused a little, "Are you up to it?"

Rouge rolled her eyes, flipping the short fur back behind her neck before answering. "Does the mall have regular seasonal sales?" The echidna's demanding attitude was starting to grate her nerves.

"Shut up, bat-girl! We don't have time to fool around. Sonic and Shadow will go after the other emeralds as soon as the night will fall."

"Don't take that tone with me, jerk!" Rouge hissed, her wings unfolding. "If you really need my help, you better sit with the fact that I'm not going to follow you and fawn over you like some lost puppy of a girl! You watch it, cause I don't have any real reason to be here, besides that I figure if I don't help you, you'll get some kids knocked off with you."

She jerked her head to indicate Tails and Mary, and crossed her arms. "Deal with it."

"And you better know that if you don't follow what I say you might end up being stabbed with an Chaos Energy weapon of either Shadow or Sonic's. They are dangerous. I had problems keeping Shadow at bay once, and now that he's as emotionless as a rock, and with Sonic's help, he might be able to kill both of us. Deal with this, now." He said growling.

"You know, as long as you two keep trading sweet nothings..." Tails called softly, propping his elbows on the counter, "...we're losing our chances of getting any of the Emeralds before Sonic and Shadow do."

The Guardian sighed, "You're right, Tails. Good luck on getting the info." He said as he walked out of the reception, "Will you move, bat-girl?"

"Watch your tone, or you'll get this boot shoved where the sun doesn't shine..." The female treasure hunter seethed, falling into step behind the other furry.

"Try it and I'll tear away those pretty wings you have on your..."

The two treasure's hunters' voices faded away as both exited the building, leaving a small fox that was shaking his head and a young human that was smirking knowingly.

"Well, we better get started." Tails said as he grabbed the backpack he had placed on the counter and took out the same laptop he had used before to get into the government's database.

Sonic grasped the yellow jewel in his hand tightly, cold eyes peering back at him as he glared into the glass like gem, his fur appearing a sickly lime as the wind whipped them about so they would be reflected in the Emeralds sheen. Ten stories beneath him, humans and anthros alike shifted and swirled together like a colorful, ant-filled sea.

Sirens flashed, indicating the police, and lights winked up at him, camera flashes mostly. For a moment he simply watched the mass of people gathered below, then he switched his gaze to the black hedgehog next to him. Their job was going to be harder, even if they did already have four Emeralds.

Shadow was looking at the building on the other side of the street; the casino was heavily guarded now, but nobody would stop him from getting the emerald stored in its vault. He looked at his blue companion then at the casino's roof; it was easily reachable with a jump.

What he didn't see, however, were two creatures, one red and the other white land on the said roof and quickly disappearing inside an air duct.

Sonic backed up slightly, then took a running leap, vaulting himself over the gap between the buildings to land on the opposite roof in a stooped pose. His eyes flicked back to the other hedgehog, seeming to wait for him to follow.

When the blue hedgehog turned, Shadow was already mid way through the leap; less than a second later, he landed on the roof with barely a thud.

He stood up quickly and went to spy on the people down on the street; good, nobody had saw them while they jumped from roof to roof. Without a word, he turned around and walked to the air duct's opening. The fact that the grate was off from its his hinges made him suspicious.

Sonic had seen the open grate only seconds after Shadow did, immediately switching over to Chaos vision, to see two figures disappearing around a corner into the building. His eyes narrowed, and he looked to his partner. Someone had gotten here first, and was trying to beat them inside to the gem.

Shadow snarled viciously, angry that someone had beat them to the building; looking around, he left the air duct alone, he opted for the quicker way. The staircase that took to the roof from inside the building. That would make them more visible, but nothing that a Chaos based attack would resolve; he would make sure to not leave witnesses.

Sonic followed immediately, his eyes trailing the other intruders to the casino, noting that one had a familiar aura, but the other was new to him. Both would more than likely die tonight, unless they really weren't after the jewel. Then again, that was unlikely.

The dark hedgehog kicked the door open, the small and weak lock literally flying away from its place; since the staircase's environment was dark, he quickly passed to the Chaos-based vision and proceeding into the darkness easily.

His sapphire fellow lingered after him, keeping his eyes trailed on the intruders' progress, finding it more and more probable that the other two were there to steal the gem. Luckily, it seemed they didn't want to be caught; they were readily dispatching any cameras or guards in their way. Less work for the two hedgehogs.

Shadow noticed too, and slowed his pace, letting the other two intruders free the path for them; however, as soon as they reached the vault, they would just Chaos Control there and quickly dispatch them.

A soft clicking sound caught Sonic's attention as they reached the last of the steps, and he turned, following the noise. For a moment he saw nothing but the blurred shadows of the non-living hallways they were passing. Then a small flash made his eyes snap up, and Sonic found himself staring into a lens of a suspended camera, the operative clicking photos of them wildly, until he realized what the hedgehog was looking at.

Shadow immediately charged his right hand of Chaos Energy and looked at his blue companion, motioning for him to go ahead; yes, he would be done in a few seconds, but why waste Sonic into looking at his work?

He turned around and formed a Chaos Sword, folding his ears and snarling viciously at the man behind the camera, preparing for an attack.

The human fell back, scrambling to escape the dark creature's rage, while Sonic started to leave. Started, because he only made it two steps before a high-heeled boot swung around to connect with the back of his head.

At the same time Sonic was attacked, a scarlet form dropped from the ceiling between Shadow and the man with the camera, grasping to device from the photographer and crushing it, since it had been automatically taking pictures even then.

The black and red hedgehog immediately recognized his enemy, and growling deeply, he formed another Chaos Sword in his left hand; he slightly crouched, folding his ears and raising his quills, and stood motionless, biding his time for an attack.

"Back off Shadow." Knuckles warned the hedgehog, eyes narrowed and the human behind him fled. He took a fighting stance and dug in his feet. "I don't want to hurt you."

The only thing that he got from the dark hedgehog was more growing; the commander had ordered to kill him if he saw him, and now that the echidna was in front of him, he was going to make sure that the order was executed.

Sonic and Rouge's battle was not so formal: the blue hedgehog was slashing at the girl, not recognizing her as much more than an enemy, and a significant threat to their mission. That, and he could sense a powerful bout of Chaos Energy around her, in her possession most likely. The answer was obvious: she had an Emerald with her.

However, to Sonic's dismay, the bat was fairing quite well against him; she was agile and almost easily avoided his blows. The only problem was that she couldn't land any blow on him.

The advantage suddenly became clear to the azure hedgehog, and a ghost of a smirk found its way onto his muzzle. The bat was hovering off the ground, an airborne creature, capable of more agile movement than he, because she did not need worry about friction against her feet to slow her down; the air made her faster.

Charging a generous bout of power into his hands, Sonic renewed his attacks, this time aiming for his opponent's outstretched wings. Rouge widened her eyes as she saw a azure bolt of Chaos Energy directed towards her wings, and to avoid it, she had to literally drop to the ground, landing on her feet and quickly distancing the blue hedgehog.

On the other side of the corridor, Shadow was attacking the Guardian without mercy, leaving him no room to counterattack. Meaning that Knuckles was crouched under a series of lighting-fast blows, blocking as making as he could, and dodging the rest, though a small number still landed. Retreat was starting to sound better and better as the fight wore on.

The dark hedgehog growled heatedly and increased the speed of his attacks, driving the echidna backwards, towards the end of the corridor; he wasn't going to let the echidna escape him. Not this time.

Knuckles felt himself losing ground, and pivoted his feet, brushing in contact with the wall behind him, then suddenly feeling cold glass against his back. With a sudden grin of inspiration, he pushed forward, weaving his arms around Shadow's, and taking a few blows as a result, grasped the wrists of his opponent and sent the dark hedgehog crashing through the window behind him.

The dark hedgehog, surprised and confused, could do nothing but fly out of the window without reaction and slam into one of the police cars parked in front of the casino, creating into the front of the machine a rather huge hole.

Rising out of the said hole, Shadow paid no mind to the people around him and growled angrily, charging up a powerful Chaos Spear and launching it towards the same window he was thrown out, then disappearing into a Chaos Control, leaving everyone stunned and confused.

Amid a frightened screams of the people below, Knuckles hurried to aid Rouge, who had just let her guard down for a mere moment before the Chaos Spear Sonic had been wielding found it's way through her left wing.

The Guardian barreled into the blue hedgehog, knocking him off and avoiding to have a sliced up bat, "We better get out of here before Shadow returns." He said taking her by the arm and dragging her away. As soon as they rounded the corner, the black hedgehog merged out of his Chaos Control and looked down at his companion that was getting up from the ground.

A soft growl, almost a hiss, tumbled from Sonic's bowed head as the hedgehog straightened, looking beyond pissed at the fact that he'd been sent rolling with one hit. As soon as he had his feet under him and was in no foreseen danger of falling, he summoned up a Spear and glared at the two treasure hunters between him and his partner.

"What was that about getting out before Shadow got back?" Rouge muttered, not liking the odds they faced.

Shadow growled too and formed two Chaos Swords into his hands; finally he was going to kill them like the master had ordered him to do.

However, before he could attack, a nearby door was flung open and a policeman fired straight away at the dark hedgehog; Shadow was so focused on the two treasure hunters that he was easily struck by the bullet, producing a wound on his side, distracting him. Knuckles, seeing the opening, took the bat, hauled her on his shoulder and lunged for the window, jumping outside and gliding away.

Shadow was beyond pissed, and he let loose a outraged scream that echoed around the building, and outside, then he looked at the door, but saw that the man that had shot him had already ran away.

Sonic was at the window, glaring after the escaped two, letting his Spear dissipate slowly, since it could never hit them at this distance. He looked back at the other hedgehog, grimacing, his message passed without words

The scarlet being, and his followers, had one of the Emeralds now.

The dark furry looked back at him, then took out the green Chaos Emerald in his possession; there was no need to worry, they had four emeralds, and they would meet the two soon. With that, he walked up to Sonic and Chaos Controlled away, towards a pharmacy where he would get the necessary to cure his bullet wound and get the small metal object out of his side.

Tails rubbed his eyes, yawning. Two cups of green tea weren't doing their jobs properly, and he had no source of coffee to keep himself awake with. It was mostly the fact that it was urgent they rescue Sonic and Shadow that kept him awake. However, the fact that Mary had dozed off long before him wasn't helping any.

"Put me down, you slimy idiot!"

"I just saved your life! Is that any way to show your gratitude!?"

The kit looked up just in time to see the treasure hunters trot in. Or rather, Knuckles was trotting; Rouge was draped over his shoulder in a most undignified fashion, similar to a scarf, and looking more or less livid about it.

Mary chose that moment to wake up, "What's happening?" She asked rubbing her eyes and yawning, "Sorry, Tails. I dozed off..." She muttered at the small fox who was still in front of the portable, heavy bags under his eyes.

The young fox waved her off, "Don't worry." He said stifling a yawn.

"Fine. You want down, I'll put you down."

Both were startled almost completely awake by a sudden screech, followed by a sharp 'thud' as Rouge came in contact with the floor. The bat flapped her wings angrily, forgetting the pain from her injured one, and hissed up at the echidna.

"Bastard!"

"You only asked for it, bat-girl!" Knuckles growled back.

Tails sighed and looked at the young woman, "Ahhh... the lovebirds..." He said with a small smile. Mary giggled at that, but tried to not show it to the bickering couple.

"You two shut up; I can hear you!" Rouge shrieked up at them, sounding for all the world like a banshee, her ears twitching wildly as she bent back her face to glare up at the foxling and human girl. "It's no small wonder, with those things you have on your head." Knuckles growled, earning her venom-filled gaze again.

"That's enough, you two!" Tails exclaimed tiredly, "If you want to listen to me, good. If not, go bicker elsewhere. I'm busy finding a way to get Shadow and Sonic back to normal."

The two fighting anthros immediately halted in their fighting, Rouge looking off to the side with a face of twisted grimness, and Knuckles' expression seeming ashamed. Mary smiled at the little fox, and leaned over his shoulder

"So Tails, what have you got so far?"

"I've got good and bad news. What you want to hear first?" He asked as he leaned on the chair, relaxing now that the two treasure hunters had stopped bickering.

"Bad news. You can't really make our day any worse." Rouge grumbled, brushing off her arms and trying to look over her shoulder at her wing. Knuckles grunted his assent to the comment.

The fox sighed deeply, "Well, the bad news is that the only other way to make them return to their usual self, is... I think impossible to do."

"Well?" Mary said. "We might as well hear it, right? You never know, we could find a way to do it..."

"Well, we need a huge amount of Chaos Energy to do that. Something that only the seven Chaos Emeralds can do, plus someone that is extremely good at manipulating it..."

"Oh..." The red head murmured, her chin sink into her folded arms, and her eyes flicking over to Knuckles, who shook his head.

"I can't control Chaos Energy, Mary. I only guard the Emeralds. I can't use them the way Sonic and Shadow do."

"And that is why we're stuck. The only other way around would be to use that machine again, but the files I read reports that it's still heavily bugged in that aspect..."

"Which is obvious enough. GUN never seems to think these things through." The Guardian sighed, crossing his arms. Rouge leaned in over the foxling's laptop, peering down at the boy. "So what's the good news?"

"That there's a small hope. Shadow's other personality."

Knuckles smirked, as Rouge looked a little confused. "You mean there's possibility that Shadow's not completely under GUN's control? What about it?"

Tails looked up at the white bat, "Exactly. You see, a week or so ago, Shadow's personality split in two, this made him far more unstable than before, but now there's the chance to have the other Shadow to wake up and be able to control the killer personality." He explained.

"Are you sure he'll be strong enough? How will he even know what to do?" Mary asked, gesturing toward the two treasure hunters. "I mean, look at what he did to them. If we even get close enough to get him to understand what to do to change them back, how will we get there without being mauled?"

"She's right." Rouge agreed. "If Shadow doesn't clobber us, Sonic will. And by the look of things, he's the one we'll have to worry about."

Tails shrugged, "Sincerely... I have no clue..." He said as he slumped into the seat, "But still... there's a small flicker of hope..."

"Well, we've got another flicker for you two." Rouge smiled, though still looking grim, as she produced the Chaos Emerald they'd managed to get. "We got one before they did. It was rough, but we got it."

Tails smiled and stood up, "You're great, guys." He said, "However, now that we have one emerald they are going to look for us, this means that we have less time to plan something." The fox stretched, "I'm going to get a nap..." He said taking a key from the wall and walking away.

Mary shook her head and sighed. "You two should go lay down too. I've got a little more sleep in me than all of you. I can keep up the search while you all rest up."

"What if something happe-?" Knuckles started, but was cut off by Mary's hand waving him away.

"There a fire alarm right under the counter, and it's loud enough to wake the dead. Believe, I'll let you know if something happens."

The Guardian sighed and took another key from the wall, "Guess you're right." He muttered as he followed his younger friend.

The woman looked at Rouge, "How bad are they?" She asked quietly.

The bat shook her head slowly, rubbing her own shoulder. "I couldn't really tell you, I didn't know what they acted like before. They're like machines now though, that's the only way I can describe it...it's like they've got something in mind, and when they saw Knuckles, well, it was like they already knew he had to go..."

Mary sighed, "If they are like machines... an order will be valid till it's revoked by who gave it to them, in this case the commander himself..."

"You think he'll take any of it back any time soon?" Rouge asked, leaning over her shoulder to look down at the screen Mary had brought up on the portable computer.

"If he's obsessed as much as they say... no." She answered.

"Figures...they never make it easy for anyone..." Rouge grumbled, taking the keys to her own room out and looking at the computer with a wince. "You're gonna need a little sleep after a while too...Wake me when you think you're too sleepy, okay? I'm nocturnal, I can take a long night.."

"Fair deal." Mary said smiling up at her, "As soon as I feel like it, I'll call you."

"Good. We don't need you collapsing in the morning..." Rouge stretched, flinching as her wing reminded her of the injury she'd been dealt. "Speaking of collapsing, I think I'll go do that..."

The young woman nodded, "Ok, I'll keep an eye on Sonic and Shadow's movements. If there's something really important I'll call you."

"Call the echidna too. If I have to get out of bed, we might as well have him suffer with me." She strutted off to the stairwell, waving at the human girl. "Good night, Mary. I'll see you in the morning."


End file.
